Common Causes of Pedestrian-related Accidents
In 2016, according to reports by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), just shy of 6,000 pedestrians lost their lives due to car crashes. While that number may appear to be relatively small when compared to all of the car accidents, the percentage of pedestrians that die or suffer severe injuries measured up against occupants of vehicles was significantly higher.
More than 13% of all vehicle related accident fatalities involve pedestrians. Thus, while it may seem like walking somewhere is a healthier alternative to driving, it is not always the safer choice.
Generally, there are several frequently occurring contributing factors responsible for most severe and deadly pedestrian accidents. Drivers often neglect to take necessary safety precautions to avoid accidents. As a result, even in cases where pedestrians are obeying all of the traffic laws and utilizing crosswalks, they are still crashed into by inattentive or reckless drivers.
While the statistics change from year to year, the following triggers of pedestrian accidents have placed highest throughout recent years:
- Distracted driving: Due to the prevalence of technology such as smartphones and GPS, distracted driving has considerably increased. Additionally, countless other distractions take drivers’ attention away from the road, such as eating or putting on makeup. In 2015, according to NHTSA crash data, one in ten fatal crashes were caused by distracted driving.
- Speeding: Driving faster than the speed limit significantly raises the odds of being involved in a crash.
- Ignoring traffic signals or signs: While most drivers stop at intersections, they typically do not notice pedestrians crossing.
- Failing to yield: Not yielding for pedestrians with the right of way is against the law, and can cause devastating injuries to pedestrians.
- Alcohol consumption: Driving while intoxicated is a serious crime. Alcohol greatly lowers drivers’ reasoning skills, judgements and response times. Further, intoxicated pedestrians greatly contribute to fatal accidents. Around one-third of fatal pedestrian accidents involved a legally intoxicated pedestrian.
- Wearing dark clothing: Roughly 70% of pedestrian accidents take place at night. Drivers have trouble seeing pedestrians at night when they have dark clothes on.
- Left-hand turns: The chances are greater when a driver is making a left-hand turn that the pedestrian is looking in the opposite direction, which leads to more accidents.
- Unmarked crosswalks: Crossing at crosswalks that contain signals lowers the risk of pedestrian accidents significantly. When intersections do not have signaled crosswalks, pedestrians are less likely to know if it is safe to cross.
Let Us Help You Today
Pedestrian-related accidents frequently leave victims with serious injuries and a troublesome road to recovery. Victims may agonize with unbearable pain, financial stress or even whether the insurance company will compensate them. These heartbreaking incidents inspire Florida Super Lawyer Gordan J. Glover to aggressively fight to help his clients get back their lives back after tragic pedestrian accidents.
As the victim of a car accident resulting from the driver’s negligence, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your damages. Our Villages pedestrian accident lawyersMarion County pedestrian accident attorneys, or Ocala pedestrian accident lawyers are dedicated to obtaining the maximum compensation for our clients. Don’t hesitate to contact us today at the Glover Law Firm for help with your case.
Resources:
cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/pedestrian_safety/index.html
nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/documents/812_381_distracteddriving2015.pdf
crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812554
https://www.gloverlawfirm.com/construction-worksite-fall-accidents/
