The traffic laws in Las Vegas and throughout Nevada are designed to provide additional protection to pedestrians whenever possible. The reason is obvious: because pedestrians are more vulnerable to injury when they are involved in collisions than are drivers and passengers. However, pedestrians still have a responsibility to obey all traffic laws in order to prevent auto-pedestrian accidents – even if these pedestrians are disabled.

This point was illustrated earlier this week when a 50-year old man was hit by a vehicle. The man, who was in a wheelchair, was apparently trying to cross Charleston Drive near Community College Drive on Wednesday night around 6:45pm. The site of the incident is on the northern border of the campus of the College of Southern Nevada. Authorities indicate that the man was not in a marked crosswalk when he was struck. He was transported to University Medical Center in critical condition.

Many places make accommodations for people who are wheelchair-bound, such as ramps, sidewalks, and wider entry doors. However, the right-of-way for any disabled individual is not absolute. If the accident victim was indeed trying to cross the street outside of a crosswalk, then he is to blame for the ensuing auto-pedestrian accident. As a result, the 50-year old man probably does not have a good case for a personal injury lawsuit against the driver of the vehicle. Ironically, there are marked crosswalks at the intersection of Community College and Charleston where the man could have crossed the street safely under a protected traffic signal.