We've all seen the drivers driving too fast in congested areas. Sometimes drivers drive negligently through highly trafficked pedestrian areas, which have lead to an increase in the number of wrongful deaths of pedestrians last year. Although the exact reason for the increase is still unknown, it was likely preventable.

Many times, drivers in Baton Rouge drive too fast and many of them are more distracted than in the past because of developing technology. These distractions have lead to a 4.2 percent increase in the number of pedestrian fatalities and a 19 percent increase in the number of crashes resulting in injuries to pedestrians in 2010.

This data is so know that analysts haven't had time to research the cause of the increases, but it is certainly alarming. The wrongful death of pedestrians can be avoided by paying more attention.

Some experts point to the fact that road sizes have increased to accommodate more vehicles, but protections for pedestrians have not increased. They also say that a cause could be that more people are moving closer to work and stores so they are traveling more by walking than cars. This combination of more people walking, outdated pedestrian safety devices and crossing areas as well as increased driver distraction can be deadly.

People who lose a family member might face emotional and financial hardships. It is especially difficult when their loved one is lost suddenly to a wrongful death incident in Baton Rouge. Families who have lost a relative because of another person's negligence might be entitled to compensation to help pay for the financial effects of the loss, as well as compensate for emotional suffering.

Source: USA Today, "As U.S. road deaths drop, more pedestrians getting struck," Larry Copeland, Dec. 9, 2011