Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents

• Left-Hand Turns – While making a turn, drivers are more likely to be focused on looking at where they are going and negotiating the intersection with traffic rather than pedestrians crossing the road. Three times as many people are hit by vehicles turning left than right.

• Reckless Driving – This includes speeding, failure to obey rules of the road, or making illegal U-turns.

• Electronics/Distractions – Cell phones are a major cause of pedestrian accidents with both drivers and pedestrians to blame. A driver may drift into the sidewalk or not see a pedestrian if they are texting, and a pedestrian may wander into oncoming traffic if they are distracted by their phone or cannot hear a vehicle coming if they are wearing headphones.

• Alcohol or Drug Use – Again, both drivers and pedestrians could be to blame in this cause of pedestrian accidents. 37 percent of pedestrians who were fatally injured have blood alcohol levels of at least the legal limit at 0.08 percent. Drivers who get behind the wheel under the influence are involved in 13 percent of pedestrian accidents.

• Quiet Cars – While energy-efficient vehicles such as battery-operated cars and hybrids are ideal to keep the neighborhood quiet, they may be more difficult for pedestrians to detect.

• Nighttime Driving – A pedestrian may not be easily seen at nighttime, especially on dark roadways or unlit highways. It has been reported that seventy percent of pedestrian accidents occur at night.

• Parking Lots – While walking in parking lots, drivers may be more focused on finding a parking spot or backing out of a parking lot than paying attention to pedestrians walking in their vicinity. Using crosswalks reduces the risk of a pedestrian accident. This makes drivers more likely to see pedestrians crossing a parking lot or roadway.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident, you need a team of experienced personal injury lawyers ready to fight for you and your rights. As a pedestrian accident victim, your medical bills may be piling up and you may be out of work for some time. The People’s Lawyer has the knowledge and experience to get you the substantial compensation you deserve.

Don’t suffer because of someone else’s negligence. Contact Brindisi, Murad & Brindisi Pearlman, Utica pedestrian accident lawyers, for a free consultation today at (315) 733-2396 or (800) 8LTB-LAW.