A motorist driving a 2000 Ford Expedition SUV struck and killed a female pedestrian as she crossed a street in Las Vegas, according to recent reports. The Las Vegas Police arrived at Durango Drive, north of Paddle Wheel Way, between Desert Inn Road and Sahara Avenue. The woman was apparently walking outside of the crosswalk when the unnamed 22-year-old male driver struck her with his vehicle. Police pronounced the 49-year-old woman dead on the scene. The driver of the Expedition was not injured in the crash. Police have announced no criminal charges. Reports suggest that the 49-year-old woman was walking across Durango from east to west when the SUV struck her. The vehicle was traveling south on Durango, in the right lane. The Clark County coroner will release the woman's identity after her family has been notified. According to Metro Las Vegas Police Department, this is the 46th traffic-related fatality in its jurisdiction this year.
A GROWING CONCERN FOR PEDESTRIANS
Stacy Willis of Las Vegas' Down Town Las Vegas writes that in 2013, 47 of the 114 traffic-related deaths in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s district were pedestrians. She states that this number marks a 17 percent increase over 2012; Las Vegas is also only one of many cities across the country that have seen an increase in pedestrians killed by motorists. Nationwide, a pedestrian is killed every two hours in a traffic collision. A pedestrian is injured by a motor vehicle every eight minutes. Over 20 percent of children between 10 and 15 years of age killed in traffic collisions are pedestrians. Cities such as Las Vegas, with broad urban sprawl, do not typically have pedestrian-friendly amenities such as long sidewalks. Traffic analysts cite a number of reasons for the increase, including poor signage along streets and sidewalks, insufficient lighting design, and irresponsible driving. Pedestrians who have been wrongfully injured, either by a negligent motorist or due to a municipality's disregard for needed safety measures, must immediately take steps to protect their legal rights. When victims delay, they risk being required to fund their own recovery. If you or a loved one has been the victim of an automobile-related collision while walking, you may have the right to pursue full restitution. Contact the law firm of High Stakes Injury Law, which has spent 30 years fighting for clients in Nevada. For a free consultation, call (702) 444-3228.