Pedestrian hit, injured by suspected drunk driver after crash in south Houston - January 1, 2021

A suspected drunk driver allegedly hit a a man Wednesday night in southwest Houston. Houston police responded to the scene around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at South Loop and Main where they said two cars collided. After the collision, police said a driver of one of the cars hit a pedestrian. The pedestrian was taken to a hospital where he was determined to have suffered eight broken ribs, a ruptured spleen, facial lacerations, a crush injuries to his hand, and a concussion from the impact of the car.

The driver was seen texting and driving at the home of impact.

Pedestrian Accidents in Houston, Texas

In February of 2020, the | Governors Highway Safety Association determined that five states (Texas, Arizona, California, Florida, and Georgia accounted for almost half — 47% — of all pedestrian deaths, with over 500 pedestrian fatalities occurring across Houston this year.

Although 2020 was a year where traffic fatalities were expected to slow down, all data demonstrates that the rate of deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents has risen. Although not all traffic injuries are fatal, pedestrians struck by a large SUV are twice as likely to die as those struck by a car. No matter what type of injuries are caused in pedestrian-vehicle collision cases, the victim always has to fight to prove the driver was reckless and negligent in causing your injuries and pain and suffering.

Although we wish laws and regulations here in Texas protected pedestrians 100% of the time, this isn't the way it goes. In reality, pedestrian are usually blamed for causing the motor vehicle about 80% of the time, causing a Pedestrian Accident attorney to investigate the scene and utilize the Texas Transportation Codes right of way laws to prove our automobile driver was in-fact liable in causing our client's injuries.

Right of Way Laws in Houston, Texas

Here in Houston and across the State of Texas, the Department of Transportation implemented a series of important traffic rules and legal guidelines to control the way that drivers must actually yield to pedestrians and allow them the have the first option and authority to cross a road, whether this is occurring in a street, neighborhood, or otherwise, and whether the are is marked with a cross-walk or stop sign or unmarked.

Most drivers here in Houston are unaware of these laws, and after hitting a pedestrian (adult, child jogger, or bicyclist) always believe the pedestrian was negligent and shouldn't have been in the roadway at the time of the collision. Unfortunately, insurance adjusters, whether they are with GEICO, State Farm, or any other insurance entity, often agree with their insurance and deny liability.

Drivers and their insurance company often claim the driver shouldn't have been in the road because the area wasn't marked, and this is not true. Pedestrians actually have the right-of-way in unmarked areas. However, pedestrians are not given full authority, the following rules are abbreviated from the Texas Department Code :

Motorist must yield if the pedestrian is approaching traffic from a sidewalk that crosses a driveway, private road, building, or alley.
Pedestrians can only cross roads with traffic signals when facing a green light or when the “walk” signal is present
Pedestrians most yield to cars when crossing anywhere other than marked or unmarked crosswalks.
Motorists are required to be aware of their surrounding when backing up or turning

In addition to these lawyers, there are additional rules and guidelines related to joggers and bicyclists that Houston motorists are often unaware of, such as - bicyclists are allowed to ride their bikes on the road and be directly positioned ahead of cars on roadways that do not offer bike lanes, as long as the cyclists if able to flow with traffic at a reasonable speed.

Houston Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

After you or a loved one is hit by a motor vehicle, emotions flare and the victims often wonder what should and can happen next regarding their recovery and possible legal claim. This is where we step in. Niles Sneed is a Houston Pedestrian Accident Lawyers that regularly helps injured pedestrians, joggers, and children recovery full compensation after the accident. Niles Sneed understands how the legal process works and will walk you through, step by step.

At Sneed|Mitchell LLP, our lawyers are also here seven days a week to answer any questions you may have about your particular car accident claim or your legal situation. Also, consultations are always free initial consultations and you don’t pay anything unless we are able to get a recovery for you. Call 866-434-0014 and speak to one of our lawyers today.

Note: These new posts are generated through the use of secondary sources for Sneed|Mitchell LLP. These sources may include local news sources, newspaper articles, local and state police blotters, social media platforms, and more. When specific accidents are mentioned from secondary sources, the news details surrounding the crash have not been independently verified by our writing staff.

Disclaimer: Sneed|Mitchell LLP has worked hard to build a strong and reputable personal injury law reputation in Houston and throughout the State of Texas. We write these articles to create additional awareness related to operation of a motor vehicle in Houston and hope that through our efforts, drivers and pedestrians both navigate our local roads with additional precautions and awareness to prevent dangerous situations from occurring. These posts should not be deemed as a solicitation for business. The pictures used in this post was not taken at the accident scene of the event mentioned from the secondary source.