The 8 Most Common Causes Of Pedestrian-Involved Accidents

Traveling as a pedestrian is typically incredibly safe. However, there are always tragic cases where a pedestrian is injured due to the reckless behavior of drivers, or even other pedestrians that they’re traveling alongside. By knowing the common types of accidents that involve pedestrians, you can be more properly prepared to stay out of otherwise-avoidable accidents.

To keep you safe, here are the eight most common causes of pedestrian-involved accidents that you should be aware of:

1. DUI

Few actions are as irresponsible, dangerous, and legally problematic as driving under the influence. Any injuries a person causes while driving under the influence come paired with massive fines, legal liabilities, and even potential jail time. If you’ve been struck and injured by a drunk driver, you need to contact the experienced pedestrian injury team at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers ASAP.

2. Reversing Vehicles

Unfortunately, many drivers fail to back up their vehicles in a fully safe, aware fashion. In some cases, other drivers fail to notice other responsible drivers doing their best to back up their vehicles safely. For whoever is at fault during a backup-involved accident, the legal and financial causes can sometimes become severe (not to mention the damage that will be done to your insurance rates).

3. Rubbernecking

When we drive by the scene of an accident, it’s not abnormal to feel intrigued about what happened. However, rubbernecking while you’re driving is incredibly dangerous, and leads to many injuries (and even deaths) throughout the United States every single year. To keep yourself and others on the road safe, and to respect the privacy of those involved in an accident, you should do your best to never rubberneck.

4. Left Hand Turns

Because many people are right-handed, a large portion of the population finds it much more difficult to deal with situations where the left side of their body is being highlighted. Left-hand turns are just one example of this in action, and they cause more accidents than right-hand turns by a large margin. By staying safe, and aware of the environment around you, you can easily avoid accidents involving left-hand turns, however.

5. Jaywalking

Jaywalkers often assume that breaking the law will save them from being inconvenienced, but this could not be further from the truth. After all, if you’re struck by a moving car because you’re jaywalking, you’re almost certain to be severely injured. Depending on the state, the driver who strikes you may be entitled to damages from you, since you’re breaking the law, so never, ever jaywalk.

6. Not Following Stop Signs

As a driver, you must pay attention to every traffic sign that you come across. Stop signs are the most important signs to stay aware of, however, as failing to follow their guidance throws everyone on the road around you (including pedestrians) out of whack. If you want to avoid costly legal fees, points on your license, and the guilt of causing an accident, you need to stop at every stop sign that you come across (and you need to do so every single time).

7. Faulty Traffic Lights

Unfortunately, there are tragic cases where damaged traffic lights cause an otherwise-avoidable accident to occur. When you find yourself in this situation or are injured because of a vehicle that ran through a faulty traffic light, you must know your legal rights.

Doing so can help you score a massive payout from the city that failed to keep its traffic lights in working order. If you ever spot a faulty traffic light in your area, you should contact the city immediately to request that it be fixed. Doing so can help you save lives.

8. Inclement Weather Conditions

Poor weather conditions (both on and off the road) lead to horrible pedestrian-involved accidents every year. Before you get on the road, or before you walk alongside the road, you should make sure you can do so safely.

If you’re traveling during inclement weather, you’re asking for trouble. Whether you’re dealing with heavy rain, hail, thunderstorms, or some other type of severe weather, you should always use your best judgment to determine whether or not you should be traveling at all.

Stay Safe as a Pedestrian in 2022

By watching out for these eight common scenarios, you can stay safe as a pedestrian while you’re traveling in 2022. Knowing that every time that you get out and about in the public sphere can end up in an accident is key. While you should not worry yourself into a fit, you should always stay acutely aware of the environment around you (especially when there is an inclement weather condition present).