Understanding Safety Tips For Pedestrians

The Miami Herald recently reported that one Florida mother is pleading with the community to help find one of two drivers who struck and killed her pedestrian son while he attempted to cross a street. The 27-year-old was attempting to cross on the southbound lanes of a foggy Interstate 95 in Broward County early on New Year’s Eve when a 2014 Honda CR-V collided with him. The young man was then struck by another car near the Hallandale Beach Boulevard exit, the driver of which sped off and who authorities have not yet located. Sadly, the young pedestrian died at the scene of the fatal collision.

How Dangerous Can Accidents be For Pedestrians?

Unfortunately, statistics published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that pedestrians face substantial risk on the road. For example, in 2016 alone almost 6,000 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes throughout the country. The previous year in 2015, almost 129,000 pedestrians were treated in emergency departments for non-fatal crash-related injuries.

Perhaps most alarmingly, pedestrians are 1.5 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to be killed in a car crash on every single trip.

Safety Tips For Pedestrians

We all find ourselves walking on a sidewalk or along a roadway at some point or another whether we are strolling for leisure, exercise, or to reach a destination. And while not every collision can be avoided, the good news is that there are things you can do to help protect yourself and your loved ones when walking. These actions include:

• Be predictable for drivers. Try to ensure that you are located where someone behind the wheel of a vehicle would expect you to be. For example, cross at crosswalks and intersections whenever possible instead of at random points on the road. Additionally, comply with traffic signals and walk only when you are directed to do so. Lastly, wear bright colors in dull daytime weather and reflective panels at night to maximize the chances of a driver seeing you.
• Avoid looking at your phone. We use our phones more than ever these days, especially for things that require our eyes such as social media, texting, and games. However, these kinds of distractions take attention away from the road and also make it more difficult to notice changing road conditions.
• Turn down the volume. Similarly to looking at your phone, listening to music, podcasts, or other forms of audio entertainment are distracting, especially when listening through headphones. The same technology that cancels noise around you in those headphones can also make it difficult to hear if an approaching car tries to warn you to move or in the context of other sudden emergencies.
• Don’t walk impaired. Walking may seem like a safer alternative to driving after drinking or using drugs. However, mind-altering substances can make it extremely difficult to be alert to changes in road conditions, therefore making walking while impaired dangerous.

Don’t Walk this Journey Alone.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a collision with a vehicle while walking as a pedestrian, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other expenses. As the Miami personal injury attorneys at Payer & Associates, we have decades of combined experience providing strong yet compassionate legal representation to South Florida residents. We will fight to maximize the compensation you deserve while you focus on healing. Contact us today to schedule a meeting at a location convenient for you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Resource:

miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article238942528.html