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Reeves & Mestayer | Personal Injury Attorneys in Biloxi

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We have recovered over
$1 Billion
in compensation for our clients

Aggressive
We are persistent, proactive, and ready to fight for our clients' interests

Ethical
While we are aggressive, we always play by the rules and honesty is the foundation of what we do

Experience
We have extensive courtroom and trial experience putting our clients in the best position for success

Reeves & Mestayer is rated
Highest in Legal Abilities & Ethics
by Martindale-Hubbell

Reeves & Mestayer is listed as
One of the Preeminent Law Firms
in America

Reeves & Mestayer has obtained
Record Verdicts & Settlements
for their clients

BP oil spill class action recovery of
$70 Million
We handled thousands of BP claims throughout the Gulf South and was named by the Court to serve on the Economic and Property Damages Committee in the Multi-District Litigation

Defective product recovery of
$55 Million
After being injured or killed by defective tires, we fought to get 75 passengers and drivers the settlement they deserved

Car accident settlement of
$12 Million
After 5 people were killed in a multi-vehicle collision, their families turned to Reeves & Mestayer for help. We fought to get them the settlement they deserved

State of Mississippi tobacco litigation
$13 Million
Reeves & Mestayer law firm gained this verdict for the State of Mississippi to correct wrongful calculations related to the Mississippi tobacco settlement

Defective Product Settlement of
$1 Billion
We fought for 14,000 plaintiffs and 1,000 defendants hurt by Chinese-manufactured drywall products

September 17, 2019 By Jim Reeves

Pedestrians and Vehicles – A Dangerous Combination

If you have recently walked down the streets of a crowded city, you might notice that everyone has their heads buried in their phones. Even crossing the street, people barely look up to see if there is an approaching danger.

That is new. Ten years ago people still looked around when they were near cars and streets. Not so much anymore.

And you don’t have to be in a crowded city to see that pedestrians’ habits have changed.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports a pedestrian was killed every 88 minutes in traffic crashes.

In Mississippi, that amounted to the death of 58 pedestrians in 2016, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA.

Pedestrian crash deaths have increased 45 percent over the last decade and account for 16 percent of crash fatalities involving all motor vehicles.

In 2017, there were a total of 5,977 pedestrian deaths involving motor vehicles of all sorts. The only good news to report was that amounted to a 1.7% decrease that year in the number of pedestrians killed in traffic accidents.

What Are the Dangers?

Pedestrian accidents with motor vehicles occur primarily in urban areas. Up to 80% of pedestrian deaths in 2017 occurred in urban areas. Compare that to 59 percent in 1975.

The most severe accidents are collisions with a vehicle and a pedestrian’s head, pelvis or leg. These injuries are the most common as pedestrians hit bumpers, hoods, or a windshield.

Pedestrians dying in a single vehicle crash were most likely to be struck by the front of the car.

The elderly population 70 years and up, is unfortunately the most likely to be the victim of a car collision, as are young children.

Alcohol use has also been found to be a factor.  In 2017, up to 44% of pedestrians age 16 and older had a blood alcohol concentration in the intoxication range, compared to 61% in 1982.

Pedestrian Safety

Roads could be made much less dangerous for pedestrians if safety was made a priority. 

According to the Insurance Institute, if there is a separation between the pedestrian walkway and vehicles such as sidewalks, islands, overpasses, and barriers, that greatly reduces the dangerous combination of pedestrians and vehicles.

As far as what pedestrians can do to stay safe:

  • Walk on the sidewalk if one is available. Walk facing traffic.

  • Keep your eyes on the road and off of your electronic device.
     
  • Cross the street at an intersection or crosswalk. If there is not one available, choose a well-lit area where traffic can see you and you can see traffic. 

  • Never assume that a driver sees you so wear the brightest clothing you can and even reflective materials. At night use a flashlight. 

  • Watch for cars that may enter a roadway from a side street or parking lot.

  • When walking, avoid alcohol or drugs and keep the volume down on your headphones.

Driver Safety Tips

As a driver it is incumbent on you to watch out for pedestrians at all times.

When entering a crosswalk, slow down and be prepared to stop. If there are pedestrians in the crosswalk in Mississippi, they have the right-of-way and vehicles must stop or yield to the person on foot. Be sure you stop and give them plenty of room.

A vehicle approaching a pedestrian crosswalk should never overtake and pass the stopped vehicle.

It is obvious that you should never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. An estimated 33 percent of fatal pedestrian accidents involved a pedestrian with a blood alcohol indicating intoxication in 2016, according to NHTSA.

The same thing goes for texting while driving or even checking your phone. It is impossible to do two things well at the same time. Put the phone away when you drive or have a setting on that says you can’t take a message because you are driving.

Speed limits are posted near school zones and neighborhoods and they should be followed. Be particularly aware of a school bus stopping because that is where children are unloading and running for the bus, often not paying attention to cars.

About twenty percent of pedestrians killed on our roads in 2016 were the victim of a hit-and-run driver. The lawyers at Reeves & Mestayer understand Mississippi law and your rights and options. Call them for a free consultation at 1-855-558-2977.

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Verdicts & Settlements

$55M
On behalf of 75 passengers and drivers injured or killed in tire defect/rollover cases
$22M
On behalf of seven investors defrauded of their life savings
$12M
On behalf of five people killed in a multi-vehicle collision
$10M
On behalf of children and teachers poisoned by defective spray roofing
$5.5M
Verdict on behalf of a woman who was abducted and raped in a K-Mart parking lot because the store provided no security

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Reeves & Mestayer

Reeves & Mestayer, PLLC
160 Main St
Biloxi, MS 39530

Toll free: 1-855-558-2977
Phone: 228-374-5151
Fax: 228-374-6630

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