A man was very seriously injured when he was run over by an elderly driver in a Costco parking lot Sunday afternoon, police reported. The accident happened just after 3 p.m. at the Costco store located at 4605 Morena Blvd. in Rose Canyon. The victim, a 40-year-old man who was not identified, was loading plants into his car when an elderly driver in a Cadillac Coupe de Ville struck him and ran him over. The 86-year-old driver of the Cadillac had pulled into a handicapped parking lot, and put his car into reverse to reposition it. Police believe the elderly man then stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brake, and struck the victim.
The driver of the Cadillac also struck two parked vehicles, and then drove through a fence and hit the side of the Costco store. The man hit by the Cadillac suffered serious internal injuries, a broken pelvis and punctured lung. He was rushed to the hospital. His two children, who were both inside the car eating pizza, were ejected through the open windows of the vehicle. They are both expected to survive. The 86-year-old driver of the Cadillac was not cited but authorities did take away his driver's license, pending review by the DMV.
Elderly Driving Accidents
According to the DMV, there are nearly three million drivers in California who are 65 years of age or older. Accidents, like this one yesterday, where elderly drivers confuse the gas pedal with the brake pedal are relatively common among elderly drivers. Medical conditions such as dementia, Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's, poor vision, arthritis, loss of sensation due to Diabetes, and even prescription medications can contribute to serious accidents resulting in catastrophic injury or death caused by elderly drivers.
San Diego Elderly Driving Incidents
Sadly, this is not the first incident involving serious injury in recent months due to pedal misapplication. In April 2009, a 59-year-old man was killed after an 86-year-old woman drove into a dentist's office in Tierrasanta. Last February, an 87-year-old woman drove into a Jamba Juice in Clairemont. No one was injured in that accident. Earlier this month, a 92-year-old woman lost control of her vehicle and slammed into a house in La Playa. The driver and her elderly passenger were both hurt.
Liability Issues
Although the incident is still under investigation by law enforcement, this tragic pedestrian accident unfortunately seems to be caused by the elderly driver. The family of the man injured in this most recent accident would be well-advised to talk to an experienced San Diego personal injury attorney as soon as possible. An attorney can help the victims' family protect their rights and recover damages for their serious injuries, loss of earnings, emotional pain and suffering, and other accident related expenses.
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