There have been over 17,000 pedestrian accidents in Chicago between 2004 and 2009. Most often, these accidents happen when a pedestrian is in a crosswalk. While negligent drivers are frequently the primary party at fault for an accident, it is important to remember that there are steps that need to be taken by the city to maintain safety measures. Without proper maintenance, pedestrian accidents can happen and tear a family apart.

About six years ago, a 57-year-old driver was not paying attention when he sailed through a stop sign and crashed into a family crossing the street. One girl was killed, and another child and their mother were injured. The driver then left the scene. Since the accident, a lawsuit has been filed against the estate of the driver, who passed away while in jail for fleeing the scene, and the city of Chicago.

Blame for the accident is split. While the driver was obviously negligent and responsible for causing the accident, according to the lawsuit, the city of Chicago failed to properly maintain the intersection. This also contributed to the accident.

Since the devastating accident, a number of unsafe issues were present at the crosswalk. The no-parking signs were placed too close to the corner so that parked cars were obscuring the view of the crosswalk. The stop sign that the driver failed to recognize was placed too low, and the lines painted on the intersection, indicating the presence of a crosswalk, were worn out so completely that they were undetectable.

Some of these factors have since been addressed. Changes have been made to the curbs surrounding the crosswalk, and the entire crosswalk area has been slightly raised. These improvements are intended to make pedestrians more visible to drivers. The father of the victim says that if the crosswalk looked like that six years ago, his daughter would not have been killed.

In addition to the physical injuries and the fatality in this accident, the family has also suffered long-term anxiety. Just crossing the street creates an extremely high level of stress. This emotional damage can last a lifetime. Victims of a pedestrian accident may require substantial emotional and physical rehabilitation after an accident, and those who are responsible for the accident should have to compensate the victims for these costs.

Source: Chicago Tribune, "Pedestrian dangers on trial 6 years after child's hit-and-run death," Jon Hilkevitch, Feb. 6, 2012