In 2017, 5,977 pedestrians died after getting hit by a car in the U.S. On top of that, over 130,000 pedestrians are treated for nonfatal injuries after getting hit by a car.
It’s important to protect yourself when you’re walking on or near a roadway, as you never know when a car might swerve towards you going higher speeds than you’re able to run. While drivers have a duty to keep pedestrians safe, pedestrians can also take measures to protect themselves.
Our lawyers for getting hit by a car give out a few pedestrian safety tips below:
Cause: Poor Visibility
Solution: Wear Bright and/or Reflective Clothing
Driving at night decreases visibility, and darker times of day are when the most pedestrian accidents occur.
Joggers are a huge demographic when it comes to pedestrian accidents. It’s important that drivers can easily see you at dawn and twilight, so you should wear bright or reflective clothing when getting your exercise in.
Colors like reds, yellows, oranges, and white are easily seen in the dark. On top of that, you can buy a neon, reflective traffic vest to throw over whatever you normally wear on your runs.
Cause: Crossing at Non-Intersections
Solution: Stick to Crossing at Striped Crosswalks
Jaywalking is extremely common in pedestrian accidents. If you cross a street at a random point instead of at a marked crosswalk, you are increasing your chances of getting hit by a car. Drivers can see the white, reflective stripes of a crosswalk in addition to the signage.
Any Sherman Oaks personal injury attorney will also tell you that getting hit while jaywalking decreases the amount you receive in financial compensation. This is because not waiting to cross at a crosswalk makes you negligent.
Cause: Walking with Headphones in
Solution: Keep the volume low and your eyes up.
When you have on headphones, you become less aware of what’s going on around you. The CDC says that avoiding electronic use is one of the biggest ways to prevent yourself from accidentally crossing into the path of a vehicle.
If you were hit by a car, contact our personal injury law firm. We’ll turn your accident into compensation.