fall river pedestrian accident lawyerEvery year in the United States, 17% of fatal car accidents involve pedestrians and 21% of those cases are hit and run accidents. The number of pedestrian accidents has unfortunately increased in 2020. According to the National Safety Council, pedestrians do not have any meaningful form of protection while they are on the road and are therefore considered vulnerable road users. If you have been involved in a pedestrian accident you should contact a Fall River pedestrian accident lawyer as soon as possible to maximize the amount of compensation that you can receive.

Pedestrians increase their chances of being involved in an accident if they engage in reckless behavior, potentially injuring others as well. It’s therefore important to be aware of the most common mistakes pedestrians make so as to avoid a devastating pedestrian accident.

Risky behaviors pedestrians in Fall River, MA, engage in while on the road

Jogging or walking with headphones on

Many of us nowadays go for walks or jog on the sidewalk to improve our physical and mental health and to also alleviate the stress of the covid-19 pandemic. It’s only natural to assume that since we are sticking to the sidewalks, playing our favorite motivational music on our headphones is not a big deal since we are on the side of the road. However, research shows that having both of our ears occupied prevents us from being aware of our surroundings. This makes it difficult for us to notice an approaching truck, motorcycle, or car.

Ignoring crosswalk signals

A huge number of pedestrian accidents happen outside of intersections when people disregard crosswalk signals or forego crosswalks. Furthermore, many pedestrians consider jaywalking a harmless habit because they rely on their judgment to safely cross the road but they fail to account for the judgment of car drivers and other road users.

Example

You are walking back from shopping at your favorite clothing store across the street. You know that if you walk all the way up to the crosswalk, it will take you longer to get home. Therefore, to save time, you decide to cross in the middle of the road.

You can see that a truck is headed towards you but you figure that you have enough time to make it across and avoid getting struck by the truck. However, the driver accelerates and makes it through the light. Now you’re in the hospital nursing serious injuries from the impact of the truck. This entire scenario could have been avoided if you had just walked up to the crosswalk signal.

Walking in dark clothes at night

Studies show that 75% of pedestrian accidents happen at night. Wearing bright clothes at night makes it easier for drivers to spot you before they get too close to stop. You should do everything in your power to be visible to drivers, especially at night.

Distracted pedestrians

In a previous post, we discussed different types of distractions and how they pose a risk to other road users. It’s easy for drivers to get distracted by text messages, making calls, or using social media while driving. However, pedestrians too get distracted and they can miss important cues which gives them less time to react to a potentially dangerous situation.

Moving In the same direction as traffic

There are some roads where the Sidewalk is non-existent, inaccessible, or damaged and pedestrians are forced to use the shoulder of the road. Drivers usually don’t expect a pedestrian to be in a cramped area along the road so you should not increase your risk of a pedestrian accident by making yourself less visible to the driver.

Since you cannot see cars approaching you from behind, you should aim to walk or jog while facing oncoming traffic. This way, you’ll be able to accommodate a car traveling towards you.

Contact of Fall River pedestrian accident lawyer for help with your claim

The idea of being left with serious injuries on the side of the road after a serious pedestrian accident is something no one wants to imagine happening to them. If you have been the victim of a pedestrian accident in Fall River you need a trusted Fall River pedestrian accident lawyer to represent you through the claims process. Give us a call at 508-676-0001 to schedule your free initial consultation