What are some of the more common pedestrian accidents?

Most pedestrians have a reasonable belief that when they are walking through a crosswalk, down a sidewalk or along the road that they will be safe. However, pedestrians can suffer serious injuries if they are hit by a driver. These injuries can cause them to incur expensive medical bills and need time away from work to heal.

Common accident factors

Each year, thousands of pedestrians are hurt and killed by inattentive drivers. There are common factors that can cause an accident.

Statistics indicate that approximately half of all fatal pedestrian accidents are caused by a driver with a high blood alcohol concentration. A driver who is impaired by drugs can also cause a serious accident.

Accidents also occur when a driver passes another vehicle stopped at a crosswalk, does not yield to a pedestrian at a crosswalk and where the visibility is low, like at night or when it is raining or snowing.

Drivers who are traveling faster than the speed limit and who do not look behind them when backing up can also cause a pedestrian serious injury. Children may be especially impacted by these types of incidents because they can be harder to see.

Pedestrian precautions

There are some precautions that pedestrians can take to keep themselves safe. These include wearing reflective clothing when walking at night, carrying a flashlight, crossing at designated streets and intersections and being aware of their surroundings.

Even with these steps, however, drivers still have a responsibility to drive attentively and avoid pedestrian accidents. If a pedestrian has been injured in an accident, an experienced attorney can pursue a claim for compensation on his or her behalf.