Any time an accident occurs involving an automobile and a pedestrian, it is likely that injuries, or even fatalities, will occur. In the United States alone, approximately 5,000 pedestrians are killed and 64,000 are injured each year in collisions with automobiles.
By educating and familiarizing yourself with the causes of these accidents, it is possible to prevent accidents when you are both inside and outside of an automobile.
Pedestrian-Caused Accidents
The most common causes of accidents when a pedestrian is at fault result from a failure to comply with posted signs and signals. Many times, pedestrians try and cross a road when a “Do Not Walk” sign is clearly posted, and are struck by automobiles that have the right-of-way and are not expecting to encounter a pedestrian.
Similarly, jaywalking, or crossing a street in an unmarked or inappropriate location, is also a risky maneuver, as it once again puts pedestrians in a location where drivers may not expect to see them, and are thus more likely to hit them.
Unattended children can be a great risk not only to themselves, but to their parents as well. If a child darts out into a road with oncoming traffic, not only are they in a position to be hit by an approaching automobile, but if their parent chases after them, the parent is also at risk.
Automobile-Caused Accidents
Drivers that ignore the rights and movements of pedestrians account for many accidents each year. When a driver speeds through a red light or speeds around a corner without checking for pedestrians, they put themselves and anyone outside the vehicle at risk.
Drivers should also be careful to avoid pedestrians who are already crossing a road, even if the driver has a green light. Drivers should wait until the crosswalk is clear of all people before proceeding.
Finally, driving after consuming alcohol can also result in collisions between automobiles and pedestrians. Alcohol impairs a driver’s response time, which can be extremely dangerous for anyone walking nearby.
To prevent traffic accidents between cars and pedestrians, it is crucial that both drivers and pedestrians behave in a safe and courteous manner.
Contact Us
If you or someone you know has been in a pedestrian-automobile collision, contact a Minneapolis personal injury attorney from Terry, Slane & Ruohonen, PLLC today by calling 612-362-0000.
