Updated on: 11/20/2019
Legal Commentary on Seattle Pedestrian Master Plan
Mayor Murray has recently submitted his recommended Pedestrian Master Plan to Seattle City Council for adoption. Attorney Chris Davis, founder of Davis Law Group, currently represents the victims of several serious Seattle pedestrian accidents (a few are listed below). He is available to journalists and members of the news media for comment on the legal issues involving pedestrian collisions with motor vehicles.
Please contact Davis Law Group if you would like to talk to Mr. Davis about the recent updates to Seattle’s pedestrian master plan.
Seattle Pedestrian Accident Statistics
Seattle is one of the nation’s leaders in foot traffic, and dozens of cities across the country are looking to the city as an example of how to build pedestrian-friendly infrastructure. In 2014, 473 pedestrian collisions were reported in Seattle, 366 of which were fatal and serious injury collisions.
Seattle’s Updated Pedestrian Mater Plan
The mayor’s office and Seattle Department of Transportation have just announced a budget of $22 million for pedestrian improvements in the city of Seattle. The Seattle Pedestrian Master Plan presents a 20-year timeline for improvements to sidewalks and crosswalks. The plan’s safety improvements are designed to eliminate pedestrian accidents in Seattle. Other cities that have implemented similar programs have seen traffic deaths fall by up to 70% in a 30-year period.
Pedestrian Accident Causes
Drivers often claim after an accident involving a pedestrian that they did not see the pedestrian in the crosswalk. Better markings and warning lights at crossings would make it more difficult for drivers to miss the signals telling them that they need to yield to pedestrians. Reduced speed limits would also give drivers more time to stop their vehicles when they do see a pedestrian ahead of them.
Legal Commentary on Pedestrian Accident Law
Seattle pedestrian accident attorney Chris Davis, founder of Davis Law Group, has represented many high profile pedestrian accident cases. According to Davis, the legal concept of “right of way” refers to the right one party has over another to proceed on the roadway. Oftentimes, the right of way is spelled out explicitly by signs or signals that inform motorists and pedestrians what to do in any given set of circumstances. In situations where there are no signals or signs, such as an uncontrolled crossing or the middle of a block, the law spells out who has the right of way in that situation. However, many drivers are not fully aware of the laws governing right of way, and will assume that they have the right of way if there is no visible sign or signal.
Attorney Chris Davis is the author of Right of Way: The Essential Guide to Pedestrian Accident Law in Washington State which outlines the legal rights and responsibilities of pedestrians in Washington State.
Representing Victims of Pedestrian Accidents
Attorney Chris Davis has represented dozens of pedestrian accident victims over the last 25 years including a very well-known case in which a woman was hit in a crosswalk by a UPS truck. The collisions listed below took place in Seattle and could have been prevented by pedestrian safety improvements. These are just a few of the pedestrian accident victims that are currently being represented by Mr. Davis.
Summary: A 34-year-old mother was walking in a marked crosswalk when she was struck by a vehicle that failed to yield. The driver who struck her fled the scene and was later found by police.
Location: Battery Street and 1st Avenue in Seattle
Injuries: Closed fracture of her orbital floor, a fractured nasal bone, nasal septal deviation, and damage to her teeth.
Summary: A 94-year-old woman who was crossing the street in a marked crosswalk was struck and killed by a bus operated by King County Metro.
Location: The Northgate Transit Center near Northgate Mall
Injuries: One fatality
Summary: A 43-year-old man was crossing the street in a marked crosswalk when he was struck by a Seattle City Light truck.
Location: 7th and Blanchard in Seattle
Injuries: Chipped bone in his right elbow, enthesopathy of ankle and/or tarsus, and closed dislocation of the tarsometatarsal joint in the foot.
Summary: A 40-year-old woman was walking on the sidewalk. A driver didn’t notice that she was on the sidewalk when he was exiting a parking lot and struck her with his vehicle.
Location: North 107th Street and Meridian Avenue North in Seattle
Injuries: Fractured knee requiring immediate surgery
NOTICE TO THE MEDIA: Any and all requests for information or news media interviews must be directed to the personal injury lawyers at Davis Law Group. Please ask for Mischelle.