Pedestrian Accident

Pedestrian Accidents in Michigan

Published on: June 14, 2019 | By Davis Law Center

Pedestrian accidents can have devastating consequences for victims. Pedestrians often suffer extremely serious injuries, since they do not have anything between their body and the vehicle that strikes them. If you or someone close to you has been injured in a pedestrian accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you should reach out to a skilled Michigan personal injury attorney as soon as possible. We can examine the facts of your case and provide you with an honest assessment of your claim.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines a pedestrian as any individual on foot, walking, running, jogging, hiking, sitting, or lying down who is involved in a motor vehicle crash. According to the NHTSA, on average, a pedestrian was killed every two hours and injured every eight minutes in traffic accidents in 2013. In fact, there were 4,735 pedestrian deaths that year, accounting for 14 percent of all traffic fatalities in motor vehicle crashes. Unfortunately, that number increased in 2014, when a total of 4,884 pedestrians were killed, while an estimated 65,000 were injured across the country.

In Michigan, 148 pedestrians were killed in 2013, accounting for 15.6 percent of the total traffic fatalities in the state in 2013. In 2014, there were 148 pedestrian fatalities, accounting for 16.4 percent of total traffic deaths. Pedestrian accidents can take place in a number of ways, including:

Crosswalk Accidents in Michigan

Published on: November 6, 2018 | By Davis Law Center

Pedestrians struck by vehicles on crosswalks can suffer serious injuries and even death. Unfortunately, it is not that uncommon for crosswalk accidents to occur in Michigan and throughout other states. If you or someone close to you has been injured in a crosswalk accident, do not delay in reaching out to a skilled Michigan pedestrian accident attorney. At Davis Law Center, our skilled injury attorneys can help you recover the compensation you deserve for your harm. You can rest assured that we will thoroughly examine the facts of your case and come up with a legal strategy accordingly.

MCL 257.10(b) defines a crosswalk as any designated area for a pedestrian crossing. This broad definition is likely intended to cover a wide range of situations. As a result, drivers must be vigilant behind the wheel in order not to injure or kill pedestrians while driving.

Under MCL 257.612, vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and bicyclists who are lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection. Michigan case law also supports the rights of individuals walking through a crosswalk safely. In Guina v. Harrod, the court held that motorists are required to anticipate the presence of pedestrians at street crossings, and, in the event they cannot see if the crossing is clear, they must drive in a manner that is consistent with how a reasonably prudent person would drive. In other words, motorists should anticipate crosswalks and proceed with caution around them because they should be aware that pedestrians may be in the area, and it may not be easy to see a pedestrian from a distance.

Michigan House Insurance Committee Votes to Fundamentally Destroy Auto No-Fault

Published on: October 14, 2011 | By Davis Law Center

LANSING — The Michigan House Insurance Committee approved legislation today that would fundamentally destroy the Michigan auto no-fault system as we know it. In response to the committee’s action, Coalition Protecting Auto No-Fault (CPAN) president John Cornack issued the following statement:

“The actions by the house insurance committee today were completely and utterly irresponsible. It is irresponsible to approve legislation that would shift millions of dollars onto already over burdened taxpayers. It is irresponsible to approve legislation that kills thousands of good-paying jobs. It is irresponsible to approve legislation that circumvents voters’ constitutional rights. It is irresponsible to approve legislation based on unverifiable data controlled by a single interest group. And finally, it is irresponsible to approve legislation that destroys the best auto insurance system in the country,” said Cornack.

Cornack notes that Gov. Snyder has stated early on that his administration would be committed to making transparent, data-driven decisions. “If the governor wants to stay true to his commitment to support policies based on facts, then I would hope this legislation would be rejected outright until the data being presented by the insurance industry and MCCA can be verified by the media and independent sources,” said Cornack. Currently, the MCCA is not subject to FOIA requests or the open meetings act.