Source: Riverside County Coroner report and news sources

RIVERSIDE, California — Carmen Pineda, 37, was struck by a full-sized pickup truck and killed Thursday as she walked on the dirt shoulder of Arlington Avenue just west of Fairhaven Drive about 12:30 p.m., according to a Riverside County Coroner report.

According to news sources, the Dodge pickup truck hit Pineda after swerving off road in an effort to avoid a head-on crash with a black pickup truck that the driver said crossed over the center lane into oncoming traffic. Pineda was transported to Riverside Community Hospital where she died of her injuries about 1:30 p.m., according to the coroner report.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

Source: California Highway Patrol Statewide Integrated Traffic Report

Pedestrians need to be especially cautious on our roadways because they are more vulnerable to injury or death. There was four pedestrians killed and 86 injured in car accidents in the city of Riverside in 2009, according to the California Highway Patrol Statewide Integrated Traffic Report. In Riverside County there were 39 pedestrians killed and 370 injured in 2009.

In California, there were 598 pedestrians killed and 12,418 injured in 2009, according to the CHP traffic report.

National data compiled by the National Highway Transportation and Safety Authority shows that pedestrian injuries and fatalities in the United States were up 4.9% in 2010 to 4,280 deaths and injuries were up 19% in 2010 to 70,000 people injured.

California Pedestrian Law

“Under California Vehicle Code Section 21950 (a) The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.

(b) This section does not relieve a pedestrian from the duty of using due care for his or her safety. No pedestrian may suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard. No pedestrian may unnecessarily stop or delay traffic while in a marked or unmarked crosswalk.

(c) The driver of a vehicle approaching a pedestrian within any marked or unmarked crosswalk shall exercise all due care and shall reduce the speed of the vehicle or take any other action relating to the operation of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian.

(d) Subdivision (b) does not relieve a driver of a vehicle from the duty of exercising due care for the safety of any pedestrian within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.”

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The Seegmiller Law Firm can be reached at 1-855-ASK–WEST.  For over 30 years, the firm has been a staunch advocate for victims’ rights and has fought for clients involved in personal injury and wrongful death cases, including premises liability, product liability, auto accidents, dog bites, nursing home negligence, medical malpractice, at-work injuries and more.  The firm has offices in Irvine, Riverside, Los Angeles and San Bernardino, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada