While sidewalks are intended to provide pedestrians with a safe space to travel, there might not always be any guarantee of complete safety when walking near lanes of traffic. Should a nearby driver drift off the road and veer onto a sidewalk, any pedestrians nearby may struggle to respond quickly enough to avoid a hazardous situation. A car accident in which a driver veered onto a sidewalk reportedly led to the death of a 46-year-old pedestrian in Colorado.
Early morning crash
The fatal crash reportedly occurred just after 4 a.m. as a pedestrian was walking along a sidewalk in front of a local store. Authorities say that the driver of a nearby car suddenly veered off the road and onto the sidewalk. Reports indicate that the car proceeded to hit the man and emergency responders advised that he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities have advised that an investigation into the crash indicated that the driver may have veered onto the sidewalk while trying to avoid hitting something on the road. When a vehicle crosses onto a sidewalk and into a pedestrian’s path, there might not always be anything a person can do to escape danger. Crashes involving pedestrians could run a greater risk of carrying fatal repercussions that may leave surviving family members grieving over an unexpected loss.
Fatal collisions
Along with the emotional turmoil involved, losing someone in a car accident can also trigger a variety of financial challenges that might accompany a loss of wages and end-of-life expenses. Surviving family members who experience loss under such a scenario might find it helpful to consult with an attorney as soon as possible for advice in evaluating all their available options for legal recourse. Such a decision could help a person in Colorado better understand what to expect while preparing a strategy with which to seek the full amount of restitution to which he or she is entitled via a wrongful death claim.