When Walking Can Be Hazardous To Your Health
Many pedestrians believe incorrectly that they are safe on the roads. After all, they are not behind the wheel of an automobile, right? Nothing can happen to them, they believe.
This lack of concern can work against pedestrians. They are not as diligent about paying attention to their surroundings as they should be.
The reality is that pedestrians are quite frequently injured on American streets and highways. These accidents can be horrific because people on foot do not have much to protect them against the car or the concrete pavement.
Crosswalks
One common location of road accidents involving pedestrians is the crosswalk. These specially designated lanes are supposed to signify where vehicles should yield to foot traffic.
Pedestrians can think they are safe inside crosswalks. They then rely on motorists to stop or reduce their speed. In fact, many drivers may not know that they are required to either stop or slow down for pedestrians in the crosswalk. Instead, when behind the wheel, these types of people can have the attitude that someone on foot should beware the bigger and faster motorized vehicles.
The Regularity of Crosswalk Accidents is Disturbing
The number of crosswalk accidents is a serious problem. Pedestrians hit by a car usually are inside the crosswalk. They are also likely to be following the rules of the road at the time of the accident. Thus, it may not be their wrongdoing that results in the crash but that of motorists.
What Can be Done to Stay Safe?
Here are some actions pedestrians can take to protect themselves from becoming victims of a road accident.
- take off headphones
- look both ways before walking
- wear bright clothing at night
- never walk on a yellow light
- walk briskly to get from one side of the street to the other
Contact a Personal injury Lawyer
Anyone involved in a pedestrian road accident should contact a personal injury lawyer immediately. Doing so is crucial to establishing the blame. It is easier to link medical reports to the situation when doctors and lawyers can work together from the start.
Speaking with an attorney is especially important for any pedestrian who knows they followed the rules of the road. In this case, the driver may have been negligent, meaning they did not fulfill their duty to drive safely. A lawyer can file suit for damages to recover any money expended to deal with the problems associated with the accident. (For more information, contact Josh D. Tucker, P.C. or another lawyer)