As a pedestrian, there are several key steps you can take to protect yourself against being injured by a motor vehicle. With the right approach, you’ll feel better every time you’re walking, jogging or riding your bike.
To start, you should understand the most common causes of car-pedestrian accidents:
- Reckless driving, such as speeding
- Distracted driving, such as texting
- Disobeying traffic signs and signals
- Failing to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks
- Ignoring changing weather conditions
- Ignoring changing traffic conditions
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
While it’s important to keep these common causes in mind, remember this: You don’t have any control over drivers. For example, if someone wants to text and drive through a busy intersection, they’re going to do so.
Some of the things you can personally do to protect yourself include:
- Slowly enter the flow of traffic when crossing the road, as opposed to darting in front of a vehicle
- Always follow the “walk” and “don’t walk” signals at an intersection
- When possible, cross the road at marked crosswalks
- Don’t lose yourself in distractions, such as texting or listening to music
If you’re injured in a car-pedestrian accident, you shouldn’t hesitate to seek medical treatment. There’s a good chance you’ve suffered serious injuries, such as broken bones, concussion and lacerations.
Once you’re on the road to recovery, learn more about the cause of the accident and how you can protect your legal rights. Depending on what you find, you may be able to hold the negligent driver responsible for your injuries. This allows you to seek compensation for a variety of damages.
