With pedestrian deaths steadily climbing since 2009, safety should become a priority for pedestrians in Florida. In fact, everyone is a pedestrian at some time or another, so this winds up concerning everyone. Below are seven types of pedestrian accidents that deserve to be widely known so that pedestrians and drivers alike can be more vigilant.
Some 19,000 pedestrian accidents every year involve children. Short as they are, and liable as they are to dart out into the road, children indeed run a high risk of being hurt. Second, there are many crosswalk pedestrian accidents. What many pedestrians don’t know is that in this state, they must yield the right-of-way to vehicles. Third, pedestrians are often hit because they walk on the roadside and not on a sidewalk.
A fourth type of accident involves pedestrians being struck by vehicles backing out of a parking spot. This is largely due to pedestrians walking in blind spots and drivers being inattentive. Fifth, pedestrians can make a serious mistake in using their phones while walking. Specifically, texting while walking makes one oblivious to one’s surroundings.
Another way that pedestrians become inattentive is through alcohol intoxication. Lastly, pedestrians lay themselves open to harm by performing a “midblock dash” rather than crossing at an intersection or crosswalk. This mostly happens in urban areas.
In those cases where drivers, by speeding, running a red light or being negligent in some other way, cause a pedestrian accident, victims may pursue a personal injury case. If the case is successful, victims may be reimbursed for all their medical expenses, lost income and the physical and emotional trauma associated with the incident. To see if they have good grounds for a claim, victims may seek out a lawyer for a legal assessment.
