Police officers initially had trouble confirming who the victim was, but he has since been identified as Mohammad Ahmed Abdelwahab. He was believed to be crossing the outside of a crosswalk when a car travelling Northbound hit him.
According to Jennifer Manzela, the spokeswoman for the Police Department in Newport Beach, the victim was immediately pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The female driver decided to remain at the scene after the accident and cooperated with the investigators. The driver reportedly had no visible injuries.
The incident is still under investigation, but the police believe that intoxicating substances were not a factor.
There has been a steady increase in the number of pedestrians that are seriously injured or killed as a result of pedestrian collisions in the United States over the past few years. In 2012, some 4,743 pedestrians were believed to have died and about 76,000 other pedestrians suffered varying minor and serious injuries.
These figures clarify that an average of 1 pedestrian injury occurs in every 7 minutes, and 1 death is recorded every 2 hours. It is believed that a Pedestrian is 1.5 times more likely to be killed in a collision than a passenger in a vehicle.
Statistics have also shown that older adults who are 65 years or older accounted for about 20% of all pedestrian deaths since 2012, and about 9% of all pedestrians injured since the same year. In the year 2012, it was believed that 1 out of every 5 kids within ages 5 and 15 were killed in pedestrian auto-related accidents.
In the same year, 48% of accidents were caused by elevated blood alcohol levels, with 38% of the drivers having blood alcohol levels higher than 0.08 grams per deciliter (g/DL). According to the Center For Disease Control and Prevention, most pedestrian deaths are recorded in urban areas, and at night, especially in non-intersection locations.
If you or your loved one has suffered injuries in a pedestrian collision, speaking with an experienced Newport Beach pedestrian accident attorney can help you to better understand your options, and help determine if obtaining compensation is in your best interest.
Those in need of wrongful death assistance in or around Newport Beach can call (800) 838-6644 to obtain a free case evaluation from Timothy J. Ryan & Associates with no obligation to retain our services.