Pedestrian accidents are among the most horrendous and catastrophic of all road accidents. Unfortunately, pedestrians have absolutely no protection from impact, unlike drivers who are protected by the vehicle and various safety features like airbags and others. As a result, pedestrians often sustain severe injuries in road accidents.
While a Phoenix pedestrian accident attorney can help you claim compensation to cover every expense that stems from the incident, we have listed some of the most common causes to help you prevent being involved in these road accidents.
Unmarked Crosswalks
Designated crossing areas save millions of pedestrians’ lives every year. Crosswalks are adequate because they add a sense of awareness for both pedestrians and drivers. If you know there is a crosswalk ahead, you will be more vigilant of pedestrians as a driver.
When crosswalks are not regularly maintained and well-painted, an increase in pedestrian accidents is almost always the repercussion.
Lousy Weather
Lousy weather is behind a large number of road accidents every year, and these accidents sometimes involve pedestrians. Because bad weather can hinder vision and reaction times, it is best to avoid driving or walking to your destination during terrible weather.
Distracted And Reckless Driving
Distracted driving is another well-known leading cause of road accidents, with speeding and reckless driving equally responsible for high accident numbers.
Never eat, drink, text, or perform any action that will impact your focus on the road. At the same time, pedestrians must also avoid distracting tasks like texting, video calling, and others that will affect alertness.
Jaywalking
Jaywalking refers to the action of crossing a marked or unmarked road outside of pedestrian crosswalks. It is illegal to jaywalk in most parts of the world because crossing a roadway at any random point will increase the risk of an accident dramatically.
When jaywalking, drivers won’t be able to predict your next move, and they won’t be able to stop or swerve out of the way without causing a collision.
Intoxication And Drug Use
For both drivers and pedestrians, using roads while under the influence of alcohol or any prescription or illicit substances is a terrible decision. Because reaction, alertness, and brain functions are repressed, there will be a substantially higher chance of accidents.
Pedestrians could stumble into roadways, while drunk drivers might be completely unable to see pedestrians.
Dark Clothing
As a pedestrian or cyclist, avoiding dark clothing in the evenings and wearing bright, reflective garments is essential. This small tip could save your life when walking or cycling on roads at night.
As a pedestrian, you can exercise various precautions to reduce your risk of an accident. These include walking on the right side of the road, only crossing roads at designated crossings, avoiding Jaywalking, and wearing a reflective vest when walking in the evenings. That said, if a pedestrian causes an accident, the comparative fault system can kick in and eliminate or reduce compensation obligations. But in these instances, relying on an experienced pedestrian or car accident lawyer is essential.
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