If a car hits you, the chances you survive are slim. If you live, you may have severe injuries that need expensive medical treatment.
Most pedestrian accidents are not the pedestrians’ fault
As a pedestrian, there are certain things you can do to reduce the chance a vehicle hits you. These include:
- Using the sidewalk and crossing points
- Taking off your headphones when crossing
- Putting your phone away when crossing
- Checking both ways before crossing
Drivers have a responsibility to watch out for pedestrians. Driving is the time when a person is most likely to harm someone else.
The actions of car drivers increase the risk to pedestrians
When a driver collides with a pedestrian, there is usually something they could have done better. Or not done at all. Here are some common reasons cars injure or kill pedestrians:
- The driver was going too fast: The faster a driver goes, the more harm they can do.
- The driver was not paying attention: Drivers get distracted. They remove their hands from the wheel, look away from the road, or think about being somewhere else.
- The driver was not obeying traffic regulations: If a pedestrian steps onto a crossing, they expect a driver to give way. When drivers ignore the rules, it becomes impossible to predict their behavior.
- The driver was drunk or drugged: Mind-altering substances reduce the ability to drive well.
- The driver was tired: Drivers need to realize how fatigue affects their ability to drive.
“Accidents” can occur. Yet, the term suggests no one was at fault, and no one could have prevented it from happening. Finding out why a driver crashed into you is crucial to claiming the compensation you need.
