Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian Accidents

When car, truck, or SUV accidents occur on Maryland roadways, the drivers and passengers aren’t always the only ones injured or killed. Unfortunately, pedestrians can also suffer personal injury or death if they are struck during a motor vehicle accident.

Maryland accident lawyers Butschky & Butschky, LLC represent clients injured in auto, truck, and motorcycle accidents throughout the Maryland and Mid-Atlantic area — including people hurt or killed in auto-related pedestrian accidents.

We only represent plaintiffs who have been hurt in auto accidents and related pedestrian accidents — not those at fault. This allows us to focus entirely on relieving our clients of the burden of pursuing an insurance claim or litigating for compensation for their injuries. Please contact us for a free evaluation if you think you have a pedestrian accident claim.

Maryland Pedestrian Accident Fatality Statistics

In 2021, a total of 125 pedestrians were killed as a result of Maryland traffic accidents.

According to Maryland Highway Safety Office initiative Zero Deaths Maryland, the number of pedestrian-involved crashes in Maryland have declined from 3,466 in 2017 to 2,548 in 2021, which amounts to a 26-percent decrease. However, the number of pedestrian-involved crashes has increased by 9 percent since 2020. And 91 percent of pedestrian-involved crashes in Maryland in 2021 resulted in injury or death.

Some facts related to Maryland Pedestrian and Traffic Accidents:

• Fridays and evening hours are dangerous times for pedestrians.
• Fall is the season in which pedestrian-involved crashes are highest (September – December).
• Males are most often the victims of injury and fatality in pedestrian-involved traffic crashes.
• Young adult drivers and pedestrians (20 to 34 years of age) account for a great number of pedestrian-involved crashes, though a high proportion of Maryland pedestrian accident deaths are older adult pedestrians (aged 50 and older).

(Source: Zero Deaths Maryland, Pedestrian Program Area Brief, January 2023.)

Nationally, pedestrian accident injuries and fatalities remain high. In 2021, 7,388 pedestrians were killed across the U.S. — a 13-percent increase from 2020 — and more than 60,000 pedestrians were injured. In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that a pedestrian was killed every 71 minutes in traffic crashes in 2021. (Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Pedestrian Safety.)

Maryland Law and Pedestrian Safety

Pedestrians walking on the sidewalk, alongside the road, or crossing the street (inside and outside of crosswalks) may be seriously injured or killed when struck by a motor vehicle. The driver may be held liable if he or she was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, speeding, or otherwise operating a vehicle negligently or recklessly.

The State of Maryland has enacted traffic laws and measures designed to protect pedestrians and all motorists and their passengers. Of note….

Maryland counties across the state have installed speed cameras at school and construction zones, in hopes of catching speed limit violators and making those places safer for pedestrians, construction workers, and drivers. Work zones and breakdown lanes are dangerous places for people to be on foot, if a speeding or out-of-control vehicle veers into their path.

In addition, Maryland’s “Move Over Law” — originally passed in 2010 and expanded in 2022 to include all stopped vehicles (not just emergency vehicles) — requires motorists to change lanes or slow down when approaching ANY stopped, standing, or parked vehicle displaying warning signals — including hazard warning lights, road flares, or other caution signals such as traffic cones, caution signs, or non-vehicular warning signs. (Source: Zero Deaths Maryland, Maryland Move Over law.)

Maryland Hit and Run Accidents

Unfortunately, sometimes when a pedestrian is struck by a motor vehicle, the operator of the car may flee the scene. Hit-and-run accidents are very common. In auto-pedestrian accidents such as these, when the driver is not apprehended — or if the driver is caught but carries no insurance — the injured person would make a claim under the terms of their own insurance policy, which provides “uninsured motorist” coverage for such situations.

Important Note: Maryland is one of the few states that still uphold a “contributory negligence” law. This strict law basically states that no recovery is possible if one contributes even 1% to an accident. Even if the “at fault” party is 99% to blame, one cannot make a recovery in Maryland if it can be proven that he/she in any way contributed to the occurrence.

1. Seek immediate medical attention and document your injuries.
2. Get all the information you can about the other party or parties involved.
3. Note the details on the circumstances surrounding the accident.
4. DO NOT speak to an insurance company representative if they contact you! This is very important, as injured pedestrians can be misled into giving statements that may be used to deny their claim.
5. Contact Butschky & Butschky, LLC for a free consultation to see if you may have a legitimate claim or case against a responsible third-party.

We are well versed in Maryland personal injury law and we know how to work within the insurance system, which can be daunting for people who are unprepared for what the system demands of them. As your pedestrian and auto accident lawyers, we will take that worry away and handle all the legal paperwork and proceedings — so you can recover from your injuries and get on with your life.

To schedule a complimentary consultation, please call us at (410) 472-3651 or (800) 722-6616, or send us an email.