Pedestrian Accident Statistics in Las Vegas

Las Vegas Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Near You in Nevada

As a nation, we have seen an increased effort to be mindful of pedestrians while operating vehicles. Many major U.S. cities have experienced a steady decline in pedestrian-related accidents, serious injuries, and fatalities. Unfortunately, Las Vegas has not experienced these same trends.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 24.9% of Las Vegas’ total fatalities involved pedestrians in just 2020. To further educate readers, we’ve gathered additional information that might surprise you about Las Vegas roadways.

Quick Links: Pedestrian Crash Data | Steps to Take if You’ve Been Hit By a Car as a Pedestrian

Las Vegas Pedestrian Crash Data

We’ve pulled and paraphrased information from a data sheet produced by Zero Fatalities Nevada centered on traffic safety in Nevada. Before we dive into the numbers, note that a pedestrian crash fatality is when a motor vehicle collides with a pedestrian and the pedestrian dies as a result of the accident.

Since pedestrian fatalities continue to rise, pedestrians in Las Vegas should always remain vigilant. There was a total of 391 pedestrian traffic fatalities on Nevada roadways between 2016 and 2020. During that same period, 382 pedestrians were killed in crashes, showing just how deadly collisions with pedestrians are.

Quick Links: Year Over Year | Crash Locations | Demographics | Accident Timing

Year Over Year

The most accurate and comprehensive pedestrian data made public by the state of Nevada comes from the years 2016 to 2020. Here’s what we found, broken down by year:

  • 2016 = 80 fatal crashes
  • 2017 = 85 fatal crashes
  • 2018 = 76 fatal crashes
  • 2019 = 62 fatal crashes
  • 2020 = 79 fatal crashes

The number of pedestrian fatalities and fatal crashes differs. If a pedestrian is killed in an accident, it counts as one accident – even if multiple pedestrians are killed in the said accident. Since these numbers vary, the number of total pedestrian fatalities in the same period breaks down as follows:

  • 2016 = 80 pedestrian fatalities
  • 2017 = 91 pedestrian fatalities
  • 2018 = 79 pedestrian fatalities
  • 2019 = 62 pedestrian fatalities
  • 2020 = 79 pedestrian fatalities

Crash Locations

In the state of Nevada, almost 90% of fatal pedestrian crashes took place on urban roadways (again, between 2016 to 2020). Clark County, the county where Las Vegas is located in, reported the highest number of fatal pedestrian crashes. Las Vegas was specifically responsible for 338 of the total 391 pedestrian fatalities.

The physical location on a roadway also played a major role in fatalities. The vast majority of fatal pedestrian crashes did not occur at an intersection or a marked crosswalk. On the contrary, 68% of these fatalities occurred in unmarked areas of the road (often referred to as jaywalking). Pedestrian accidents that led to a fatality at an intersection or marked crosswalk made up 20% of total pedestrian fatalities (73 deaths). Only 5% of pedestrian fatalities occurred on a sidewalk and made up 19 total deaths.

Cars driving up and down the Las Vegas strip at night

Demographics

The “who” involved in pedestrian fatalities is also backed up by data. Males are significantly more likely to be killed in pedestrian-related accidents than women. From 2016 to 2020, males ages 26 to 30 years old comprised the highest reported number of pedestrian fatalities in Nevada.

Here are the most common factors associated with pedestrian-related accidents:

  • Alcohol
  • Jaywalking
  • Inattention
  • Distracted pedestrians
  • Pedestrians failing to identify turning vehicles

Accident Timing

Pedestrian fatality research also found the most common times of day when accidents occur. The hours between 6 PM and 11:59 PM experienced the highest number of fatal crashes with more than 62% of these fatal pedestrian accidents happening at night in areas with satisfactory street lighting.

Fatal pedestrian crashes happen most often from Thursday to Saturday, making up over 50% of total fatal pedestrian accidents. Regarding months of the year, January experienced the most fatal pedestrian crashes. There were 45 fatalities in January, making up 12% of all pedestrian deaths.

3 Steps to Take if You’ve Been Hit By a Car as a Pedestrian

1. Get to Safety and Get Help

It should go without saying, but your immediate health and safety should be the first concern if a vehicle hits you. As a pedestrian, you are more vulnerable than motorists, so your well-being is your priority in these types of accidents.

Get Out of the Street

Of course, you may be unable to move after being hit by a car as a pedestrian. But, if you can move and it seems safe to do so, getting out of the street or roadway should be your first priority. Remaining on the road increases your chances of being struck again. Once you are safely out of the roadway, you should take a moment to evaluate your injuries. However, this can be very difficult with the levels of adrenaline people typically experience after this type of accident. So, it is usually best to go no further than what’s necessary to get yourself out of danger. If you are unable to move or fear it could make your injuries worse, you should look for a witness or bystander. If one is nearby, see if they can help ensure any oncoming vehicle knows you are in the roadway.

Seek Out Medical Assistance

Anyone hit by a car while walking should seek immediate medical assistance. Even if you don’t feel pain in the moments after being hit, you may have severe or even life-threatening injuries. The shock and adrenaline can make it difficult to tell and the only way to ensure you get the treatment you need is to seek care from a medical professional. If you are able, you should call for an ambulance right away. If not, you should ask any witness or bystander to call for you.

2. Document the Scene

If you are out of danger and safely able to do so, you should consider documenting the scene or asking someone nearby to do so for you. Even a couple of photographs can be a significant help in establishing your claim against the driver that hit you.

Request that Police Respond

While police will typically be dispatched to an accident involving a pedestrian in Las Vegas. Emergency services may first ask if police are needed or being requested. In such circumstances, you should always request that police respond. The police will secure the accident scene, document it, prepare a report, and possibly cite or charge the driver that hit you.

3. Hire a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Victims of pedestrian-related accidents – whether the accident is classified as “serious” or not – should immediately seek out help from a Las Vegas pedestrian accident law firm. There are laws unique to the state of Nevada, meaning a local lawyer will be the best fit for pedestrian accidents occurring in Las Vegas.

A pedestrian accident may lead to ramifications that can linger for years or last a lifetime. Pedestrians may experience physical and mental challenges after an accident, and treatments for these types of injuries can be extremely costly. That’s why a pedestrian accident lawyer is critical. An experienced pedestrian accident law firm helps clients receive compensation for the following expenses:

  1. Costly medical care and rehabilitative costs
  2. Potential permanent disability
  3. Lost wages or time off of work
  4. Insurance problems or disputes
  5. Legal issues, including liability

An experienced and qualified accident attorney will conduct a thorough analysis of the pedestrian accident case. Following their investigation, the pedestrian accident lawyer will inform the victim whether or not there are grounds to file a personal injury claim. A lawyer will file a claim to ultimately help victims seek justice and receive satisfactory compensation for injuries sustained and associated financial burdens that arise due to these types of accidents.

The legal team at SJW Injury Attorneys is well equipped to handle these types of pedestrian accidents in Las Vegas and throughout the state of Nevada. If you’ve been involved in a pedestrian accident, seek legal counsel to help you navigate the claims process. Our team is here for you. Contact us today if you have further questions.


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