In 2019, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recorded a total of 6,205 pedestrian fatalities due to car accidents, a 35% increase from 2008. In recent years, pedestrian deaths caused by hit-and-run drivers have also reached record highs.
When pedestrians are struck by vehicles, they typically sustain serious injuries because they have nothing to shield them from the impact force. As a result, injured pedestrians and their families are often forced to cope with exorbitant hospital bills, lost wages, and emotional trauma.
If you were injured or lost a family member due to a driver’s negligence, our nationwide pedestrian accident attorneys can use our years of experience to obtain fair financial compensation in your personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
Just like vehicle-on-vehicle accidents, pedestrian accidents can occur in many different circumstances. The leading causes of pedestrian accidents in the United States are:
- Driver negligence: Drivers who are distracted or otherwise negligent are one of the leading causes of fatal and injury-causing pedestrian accidents. In recent years, pedestrian accidents arising from unlawful cell phone use behind the wheel have risen dramatically.
- Intoxication: Roughly 47% of all pedestrian fatalities involve a pedestrian or driver who is under the influence. Inebriated drivers are much more likely to disregard traffic lights, fail to maintain their lane, and violate other driving laws designed to help keep pedestrians safe.
- Speeding: Speeding drivers, especially those who plow through intersections in heavily populated areas are another leading cause of pedestrian injuries and deaths.
Common Injuries Sustained in Pedestrian Accidents
After being struck by a car, most pedestrians sustain severe injuries that require substantial medical intervention. The most common pedestrian injuries are:
- Broken bones: By far, the most common pedestrian injury is broken bones. Specifically in the wrists, arms, hips, elbows, tibia, femur, knees, and ankles.
- Spinal cord injuries: The impact force that is generated when a vehicle strikes a person can cause catastrophic spinal injuries that could have a permanent effect on the pedestrian’s quality of life.
- Traumatic brain injury: When struck by a moving car, pedestrians can be flung into the air before they strike the asphalt. This can cause serious and even permanent brain injuries.
A Local Accident Reports, we will fight to ensure you are fairly compensated for your hospital bills and other damages.
Safety Tips for Pedestrians
Make Sure You Are Visible to Drivers
- Wear light or bright-colored clothes with reflective strips
- If you are walking at night, always bring a torch and only cross the street in areas that are properly lit
- Make sure you are not obscured by any large vehicles, hedgerows, parked vehicles, or any other clear of buses, hedges, parked cars, or other obstructions before crossing the street
Avoid Potentially Hazardous Situations
- Pedestrians should always walk on the sidewalk. If one is not available, pedestrians should walk facing oncoming traffic
- Don’t walk while intoxicated. It raises your odds of being hit by a car
- Never assume a driver is going to stop. Don’t just glance at an approaching vehicle, try to make eye contact with the driver. If they are using their cell phone or not looking at the road, they are too distracted to drive safely. Wait for them to pass before trying to cross
- Never rely on pedestrian crossing signals alone. Always look both ways before you cross the street
- Be aware of any backup lights or engine noises when near on-street parking spaces or in parking lots
Look Before You Cross
- If possible, only cross the street at an intersection or inside of a marked crosswalk
- Obey all pedestrian control devices, like WALK and DON’T WALK signals
- Before you step out into the roadway, look left, right, and left again
- Be mindful of turning vehicles. Be absolutely certain that the driver sees you and is going to stop
- Look across every lane before crossing. Just because one driver stopped for you, never presume that those in other lanes have seen you and are going to do the same
- Never use your cell phone or wear headphones when trying to cross the street
Steps to Take After Being Injured in a Pedestrian Accident
After a pedestrian accident, your priority should be your physical health. Even if you do not think you were badly injured, it is crucial to seek immediate medical attention. This will help ensure you do not have any invisible injuries, such as internal bleeding or organ damage, and will also create an official timeline of your injuries, when and how they occurred, and the treatments you require to fully recover. If you end up taking legal action against the driver who struck you, your medical records will be a key piece of evidence so they need to be as comprehensive as possible.
Even if the driver who hit you seems friendly and apologetic and you feel like you might be physically unharmed, calling the police is another critical step after a pedestrian accident. The accident report generated by the responding officer could be essential to your case further down the road.
If you are physically able to do so, write down the full names and contact details of any bystanders who witnessed the incident. Eyewitnesses are vital because they are impartial parties who can provide testimony that supports your version of events. A credible eyewitness can be the difference between a successful case and an unsuccessful one.
It is also a good idea to document the accident scene by taking videos or pictures of skid marks, fluid spills, current road conditions, the vehicle that hit you, and anything else that you suspect may have contributed to your accident.
You should also contact a nationwide pedestrian accident attorney as soon as you can. They will be able to investigate the crash and work with industry specialists to build the strongest claim for compensation possible against the at-fault driver.
Consult With a Nationwide Car Accident Attorney
If you sustained pedestrian injuries due to a driver’s negligence and are seeking dependable legal advice, contact the nationwide pedestrian accident attorneys at Local Accident Reports. If you were injured through no fault of your own, we can work with you to ensure you secure the full amount of financial compensation to which the law entitles you. Call us at (888) 657-1460 to schedule your free consultation.