At the time of the Ventura truck accident, it was not clearly evident who was at fault in the accident.  Since that time, it has been determined by investigators that the pedestrian, Herman, did indeed have the right of way, and that the teen driver was not paying close attention to his actions.  It is a well known fact that teens, as well as other motorists, often eat, fiddle with radio stations and perform other tasks that are not inducive to safe driving practices.

Ventura pedestrian accident lawyers see these types of incidents frequently.  When motorists fail to pay attention to their surroundings, accidents occur.  Cell phones are another huge cause of accidents, and in this particular tragedy there is no information on whether a cell phone was in use at the time.  Recently, driving while talking on cell phones or texting has been a popular subject in the news and other media.

A study was conducted in July by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute which strongly connected the use of cell phones for text messaging while driving and the incidence of accidents.  The study concluded that texting while at the wheel increased the likelihood of an accident by 23 times.  At the end of this month, US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will be heading a summit to determine how to effectively deal with the dangers of texting while behind the wheel.

Other than lack of attention by drivers, other things that may cause an accident involving a pedestrian are speeding, driving while under the influence, failing to consider poor weather conditions and failure to yield the right of way.  Drivers, including teen drivers, must make the decision to drive safely, be cautious when nearing an intersection or crosswalk, and be extremely watchful at night or during inclement weather.  Tragic accidents like those in the case of Ms. Herman can often be avoided by taking extra precautions.

The Reeves Law Group has offices across California, and is dedicated to representing Ventura personal injury victims, including victims of pedestrian accidents.  Please contact us for a free consultation at (800) 644-8000.