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Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents

Updated: Aug 25, 2022


Whether you are walking to a meeting, or jogging for your health, getting more exercise does the body good. However, while you are out on your feet in the city or on a back road, you may be putting yourself at risk. Pedestrian accidents are far too common these days as more people walking or jogging share the streets with motor vehicles. Keeping yourself alert and aware of the dangers may save your life.


As a driver, you too need to stay vigilant to avoid hitting a pedestrian who may unexpectedly veer into your path or cross a road in front of you when you least expect it.

According to the CDC, a person died every 88 minutes on average in a traffic-related incident in 2017. A further 137,000 pedestrians incurred non-fatal injuries that required a visit to the emergency room.


In this post, we take a closer look at these accidents and their most common causes.


Are You at Risk of Being Another Statistic?


You can never anticipate when a driver may lose control of their vehicle or drive recklessly. There are, however, some people who are at greater risk than others. Are you one of them?


Persons Under the Influence of Alcohol


Almost half (47%) of the 2017 accidents in which someone on foot died involved either a drunk driver or a drunk pedestrian. This is a shocking figure. In 33% of the accidents, the person on foot was impaired, while in 17% of cases, the driver had been drinking.


Older Adults and Young Children


Adults 65 years old or older accounted for 20% of the deaths and 10% of the injuries in traffic accidents in 2017.


Of the children under 15 that died in traffic accidents in 2017, 20% were pedestrians.


What Causes Pedestrian Accidents?


Pedestrian accidents have several potential causes in which either the driver or the person on foot may be at fault.


Driver Negligence


Motorists should adhere to traffic regulations and practice care while driving. It is the driver’s responsibility to be alert to unforeseen hazards. Many incidents result from the careless flouting of the rules or inattention by a driver. What can lead to attention? Here are some factors.


Being Distracted


The roads are full of distracted drivers. Motorists may engage in:


● Talking or texting on their cell phones

● Eating or drinking

● Speaking to passengers

● Fiddling with the radio or other device

● Spending time checking their looks or grooming themselves


A motorist may look down to check their phone or the radio station for a second and totally miss seeing a pedestrian trying to cross the road.


Speeding


When motorists drive too quickly, they are less able to react in time to prevent an accident. What’s more, in these encounters with pedestrians, speeding drivers will hit the person on foot with far more force than if they had been following the speed limit, often causing life-threatening injuries or death.


Driving Under the Influence


Drugs or alcohol dull the reflexes and impair decision-making and driving skills. Someone under the influence is much more apt to misjudge a distance or miss a potential hazard in the road.


Driving Tired


Being exhausted while driving may also cause an accident. Sleep deprivation has a similar impact on the brain and body as being drunk does. The more sleep-deprived the driver, the slower their response times, and the more likely they are to fall asleep at the wheel.


Not Stopping or Yielding at Intersections


Not stopping or yielding at an intersection increases the likelihood of pedestrian accidents. Those on foot may step into the road believing that they have the right of way, only to have a vehicle strike them.


Bad Weather and Poor Visibility


Not all drivers are careless, distracted, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In some instances, bad weather and low visibility are the deciding factor.


Fog or heavy rain may make it hard to see farther than a few feet ahead. Snow, ice, or water may make the road surface slippery. Vehicles may aquaplane on the slick surface and become impossible to control.


Left-Hand Turns


Motorists don’t always pay attention to people using crosswalks. The motorist may be so focused on getting through the intersection that they fail to see the person crossing legally at the intersection crosswalks.


Backing Up


Accidents caused by vehicles backing up are often tragic. It’s difficult to see someone standing directly behind the vehicle. When it’s a small child standing in the way, motorists may not realize it until they knock the child over.


These kinds of pedestrian accidents are most common in private homes and at parking lots.


Pedestrian-Caused Accidents


Tempting as it is, you cannot always point the finger at the driver. A moment of indecision may cause a pedestrian to turn left instead of right, walking into oncoming traffic. A small child may run out onto the road to catch a ball without thinking about the dangers.

We can lay the following types of incidents directly at the pedestrian’s door:


Intoxication dulls reasoning ability in people on foot just as quickly as it does those driving.

Being distracted while walking is an increasingly common problem as people pay too much attention to their phones.

Jaywalkers--pedestrians who cross the road outside of designated crosswalks, intersections, or well-lit areas—fail to follow the traffic rules intended to keep them safe.

● People wearing clothes that make them blend in with their surroundings in low-visibility conditions, especially late in the day, often become victims unseen by the drivers who hit them.


Did You Sustain Injuries in a Pedestrian Accident?


Would you like advice on the next steps to take? We can help. Call us at (510) 328-3238 and schedule an appointment with an experienced accident attorney. Our team will advise you on what recourse is available to you.

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