A San Diego car accident involving a television news vehicle has fatally injured an elderly woman, The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The fatal pedestrian accident occurred the evening of January 21, 2010 in the Kearny Mesa area. The woman was walking across Clairemont Mesa Boulevard at Shawline Street when the television news vehicle -- an SUV -- struck her. The driver of the vehicle told authorities that he did not see the woman walking at the intersection and that she was not in a crosswalk. The woman was transported to a local hospital where she died of head injuries. The driver is not expected to be cited or arrested.

My heart goes out to everyone who knew and loved this woman. I offer my deepest sympathies to her family members for their tragic loss. They will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

There were 25 fatalities and 575 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in San Diego, according to CHP's 2007 traffic accident statistics. In San Diego County as a whole, 51 deaths and 1,068 injuries were reported as a result of pedestrian accidents in 2007.

California Laws Involving Pedestrians

It's not entirely clear, based on this news report, whether the woman was crossing at an intersection or not. We also do not know if the driver had a green light and whether the eyewitness reports specifically stated that the woman was not in a marked/unmarked crosswalk. California Vehicle Code Section 21950 states: "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." The same section also states that 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 a vehicle or take any other action relating to the operating of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian."

In such cases it would be in the best interests of victims and their families to seek the counsel of a reputed San Diego personal injury lawyer, who will ensure that their legal rights are protected. The best personal injury lawyers will always offer a free consultation and comprehensive claim evaluation to injured victims and their families.

The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.