Before walking along any roadside, it’s important that everyone knows how to avoid pedestrian accidents. Compared to other types of personal injury accidents, collisions between a pedestrian and a motor vehicle can lead to more significant injuries, and in some cases, even death. Therefore, avoiding pedestrian accidents should be a top concern for both motorists and pedestrians. While a personal injury attorney in Denver can assist those involved in a pedestrian accident, what’s most important is to do everything we can to prevent these accidents before they occur.
In this blog, we’re taking a closer look at pedestrian accidents to develop strategies for preventing these collisions. First, we review the common causes of pedestrian accidents. Then we offer some practical tips for both motorists and pedestrians to help avoid pedestrian accidents and keep our roads safe for everyone. But if you are ever involved in a pedestrian accident, remember that you’re not alone.
Here at the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm, we’ve assembled a team of top personal injury attorneys to defend your rights. We’ll work with you to assess your case, determine the best course of action, and negotiate on your behalf. If needed, we’ll take your case to court to ensure you receive the fair and full compensation you deserve for your injuries. Even if you believe you could be partially at fault, don’t hesitate to reach out to our personal injury law firm for a free consultation.
Table of Contents
What are the Most Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents?
Each and every pedestrian accident is unique. However, there are still common causes of pedestrian accidents that account for most of these collisions. When we are able to identify these common causes, we can work to make our roads safer for everyone—motorists and pedestrians.
The most common causes of pedestrian accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Impatient drivers.
- Poor visibility (whether from weather or time of day)
- Poor weather conditions, such as snow or rain
- Drunk driving
- Road construction
- Vehicles making left turns
- Pedestrians making illegal road crossings
How You Can Avoid Pedestrian Accidents
Here are some tips for both drivers and pedestrians to avoid pedestrian accidents and keep everyone safer:
Motorists
- Keep your full attention on the road: distracted driving is one of the leading causes of pedestrian accidents because it limits your time to respond to someone in the road and respond safely. Even taking your eyes off the road for a few seconds, like checking a text message, can lead to an accident.
- Never drive under the influence: even just one alcoholic drink can significantly impair your ability to safely operate your vehicle. Even if you feel fine, never drive after drinking. There’s always a better way to get home.
- Obey all speed limits: speeding severely limits the amount of time the driver has to react to changing road conditions. Driving too fast, especially at night or in poor weather, actually puts everyone at risk.
Pedestrians
- Only cross at crosswalks: you may be tempted to cross the street anywhere to get where you’re going, but this is never worth the risk. Wait for a traffic light or designated crosswalk so that oncoming vehicles can expect you to be crossing. A distracted driver may not notice a pedestrian elsewhere.
- Wear bright clothing or reflectors: visibility drops off quite a bit at night and limits what a driver can see. If walking at night or near dusk, try to wear bright clothing or reflectors so cars can see you. This can be especially valuable in rural areas that may not have clearly designated sidewalks.
- Walk towards traffic if there’s no sidewalk: if there is no sidewalk, make sure you’re walking towards the oncoming traffic as this improves the chances for the driver to be able to see you.
- Remain alert at all times: never assume that a driver can see you. Especially when crossing a road, remain alert and aware of your surroundings. You should also avoid listening to music or being otherwise distracted whenever you’re walking by a busy road.
What Should I Do if I’m in a Denver Pedestrian Accident?
Despite our best efforts, there’s still always the risk of pedestrian accidents. Even if you practice responsible habits whenever you’re near a road, you can never fully account for the behaviors of another driver or pedestrian. Thus, you should still know what to do if you find yourself the victim of a pedestrian accident.
First things first, remember that you’re not alone. If you’re involved in a pedestrian accident, make sure you receive the proper medical care. You should also contact your insurance company to alert them about the accident, and if necessary, file a claim. But after that, there is one more important phone call you should make. To ensure your rights are protected and to improve your chances of receiving fair financial compensation for your injuries, make sure you reach out to an experienced pedestrian accident attorney.
Working in the field of personal injury law, these specialized lawyers can help you understand your case and determine the best course of action from a legal perspective. They can also determine whether or not your case is eligible for financial compensation. Your insurance company may sometimes try to minimize their payment to you by offering a “lowball” settlement for your injuries. This is known as a form of bad faith insurance where your insurance provider fails to live up to their end of the contract. If this occurs, we can help you by negotiating on your behalf and pressing your insurance provider to provide you with a fair and full form of compensation. If necessary, a personal injury attorney will even take your case to court and represent you in a court of law.
Conclusion – How You Can Avoid Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian accidents can lead to more significant injuries than a collision between two motor vehicles. This is only one reason why it’s so important to drive (and walk) responsibly whenever you’re on or near a roadway. By taking these tips into account and practicing safe driving practices, we can all keep our roads and highways safer for everyone—including pedestrians.
However, despite our best practices, accidents still do occur. If you’re involved in a pedestrian or any type of personal injury accident, don’t feel like you need to navigate all this by yourself. Hire an experienced pedestrian accident attorney who understands the unique aspects of these cases so they can improve your chances of reaching a favorable outcome.
At the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm, we’re experienced in representing—and winning—pedestrian accident cases and many other types of personal injury suits, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, bad faith insurance cases, and more. We’re here to serve you if you need legal counsel and representation.
Contact the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm to schedule your free consultation so you can learn more about the best options available for you and your case. For more information, or to get a free case consultation, call us 24/7 at (303) 333-7285.
The Paul Wilkinson Law Firm is a team of personal injury attorneys in Denver, CO serving victims of car, truck and motorcycle accidents. Each of our lawyers is licensed with the Colorado State Bar (CBA) and specialize in injury law.
We've recovered tens of millions of dollars in personal injury settlements and verdicts for our clients. For 13+ years we've helped thousands of people get back on their feet after experiencing serious injuries. We will take your case to trial and get the maximum settlement possible.
