Accidents involving a motor vehicle and a pedestrian are common. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 6,516 pedestrians were killed in 2020, and about 55,000 were injured nationwide. This is alarming, as it reveals some drivers fail to keep pedestrians safe.
Below are four causes of pedestrian accidents:
Drunk driving
A drunk driver may have impaired judgment and poor eye coordination. Due to this, they may drive through crosswalks, not notice a pedestrian, or at least sooner and fail to yield the right of way, leading to an accident.
Distracted driving
A driver who is using their phone, adjusting the radio or heater, manipulating the navigation system, trying to find things under the seats or eating may not see a pedestrian or fail to respond sooner when needed.
Left-hand turns
Left-hand turns significantly endanger pedestrians, especially at intersections and crosswalks. When making a left turn, a driver’s attention is on whether another car is coming. Thus, some don’t consider pedestrians.
Further, left turns require a wider radius and more effort, which means a driver may use a high speed when making one. This can put pedestrians who are around at high risk.
Unmarked crosswalks
Most intersections have designated locations for crossing, which are marked. However, some spots where pedestrians have the right of way are not marked. Pedestrians should cross safely at both marked and unmarked crosswalks. Unfortunately, most drunk, distracted and reckless drivers hit passengers at unmarked locations.
These factors contribute to a significant percentage of accidents involving pedestrians. If you are injured by a driver, regardless of whether a location is marked or unmarked or had the right of way, you should learn more about your case to make the right moves.
