Traveling as nature intended, using our very own two feet, can be a pleasurable method of transportation that doubles as exercise. However, it is not without its risk. Walking in heavily populated urban areas can in fact be extremely dangerous and potentially deadly. This is due to the fact that, as statistic shown, the number of pedestrian accidents keeps increasing annually. While pedestrians thought they are safe walking in the sidewalks, external factors can wreak havoc to that thought. Pedestrians are constantly endangered by potentially intoxicated or reckless drivers. In a pedestrian accident, usually it’s always the pedestrians that have to pay the price – sometimes even with their lives. Although many pedestrians are unprotected when they are out on the street, in the event of an accident, they are legally protected by pedestrian accident law.
First, let’s check out some interesting yet rather depressing statistics on pedestrian accidents. According to a report by the National Highway Traffic Association, there are about 69,000 pedestrian accidents in the United States – with more than 5,000 deaths as the result. Pedestrian deaths make up about 12 percent of the total fatalities in car-related accidents. The pedestrian death rate is estimated at 1.5 per 100,000 people. Quite a staggering amount of numbers, wouldn’t you agree?
The report shows that most pedestrian accidents happen in the afternoon – somewhere between three and four in the afternoon, to be precise. Many of these accidents involve young kids leaving for home from their school. In many cases, especially those that involve young kids, they just storm out of their school and fill the streets – unaware of the danger posed. The fact that traffic is much heavier in the afternoon also contributes to the high number of pedestrian accidents.
One of the most common pedestrian accidents is pedestrians crossing in the middle of a block. Another common pedestrian accident is when pedestrians are travelling with the traffic. The final two most common pedestrian accidents include vehicle turning into or backing into a pedestrian.
It is noted that the severity of injuries caused by pedestrian accidents are related to the speed of the moving vehicle. A person who is struck by a car moving about 25 mph has less than 10 percent chance of getting killed, whereas at 40 mph, the chance increases to about 45 percent. At 45 mph, the chance of being killed is 85 percent.
Severe injuries are also common when people get tangled with cars. These are just some types of possible severe injuries in a pedestrian accident. Broken limbs top the statistic for being the most common type of severe injuries. The next is spinal cord injury and body disfigurement. These severe injuries not only caused by direct hit of the car, but might also come from impact with the ground.
The key thing to remember to avoid being involved in a pedestrian accident, when you are the one behind the steering wheel, is to act responsibly. You are responsible for the pedestrians in the street. While there’s a chance they might come out in front of you, you need to be vigilant and adjust the speed accordingly.
Remember, victims of the accidents are protected by pedestrian accident laws. It means in the event of an accident they could file a lawsuit against you. If you feel that you are responsible, be prepared to lose not only the case, but also some of your freedom and financials. When it does happen, it won’t be pretty. So be aware of your surrounding the next time you are out driving on the street and always make sure you obey traffic signs and regulations.