Seattle, a city known for its stunning landscapes and bustling culture, has a thriving pedestrian community. Unfortunately, this vibrant pedestrian culture also comes with a high rate of pedestrian-vehicle crashes.
The common causes of pedestrian accidents can result from various factors, often involving a combination of human behavior, environmental conditions, and traffic-related elements.
Lack of Visibility
Pedestrians are extremely vulnerable to collisions with motor vehicles. Even in a crosswalk, they can be caught off guard by aggressive driving maneuvers resulting from reckless or negligent actions on the driver’s part.
Moreover, pedestrians are often in the blind spot of drivers turning, changing lanes, or maneuvering their vehicles. Educating both pedestrians and drivers on the existence of these dangerous blind spots can help prevent accidents.
Wearing light-colored clothing at night and crossing only at designated intersections is a simple way to improve pedestrian visibility. Likewise, jaywalking in locations other than crosswalks and crossing streets in defiance of traffic signals can also make it difficult for drivers to notice pedestrians. This can result in serious accidents and injuries.
Speeding
Drivers who hit pedestrians at even a modest ten mph above the speed limit are up to 45 percent more likely to kill them. GHSA has shown that strategies like traffic-calming initiatives and road infrastructure prioritizing vehicles can drastically reduce the number of pedestrian motor-vehicle collisions.
Slowing down means having enough time to observe your surroundings, process what you see, and react with a safe gap in time between your vehicle and anything that crosses your path. A driver only takes three-quarters to two seconds to detect a pedestrian and respond.
Individuals who are rushed and worried about being late for work, appointments, or events can sometimes drive at an unsafe rate for pedestrians. Holding drivers accountable through civil lawsuits can help pedestrian victims receive compensation for their medical bills, funeral expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.
Distracted Driving
Pedestrians are vulnerable to distracted driving because they lack protective barriers like vehicle occupants. This is why pedestrian motor-vehicle collisions can be so devastating for victims.
Drivers distracted by using digital devices, eating, or changing the music or the radio can easily miss pedestrians crossing the road. This can be particularly dangerous when walking at night, where pedestrians’ low visibility can make it harder for drivers to see them.
Irresponsible drivers may also cause pedestrian accidents by running red lights or failing to yield to cross traffic at intersections. This can deprive pedestrians of their legally protected right-of-way and lead to deadly crashes. Programs that introduce strategic educational and technological interventions could reduce these types of pedestrian accidents.
Impaired Driving
While the dangers of drunk driving are often associated with motor vehicles, people who choose to walk while impaired by alcohol or illegal drugs can also be involved in fatal pedestrian accidents. Having even a single drink can impair a person’s reaction time, vision, and coordination, making it dangerous to be on the road—deaths resulting from impaired driving account for about a third of roadway fatalities. Deaths related to drunk driving are higher than average around holidays such as Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
While someone should never operate a vehicle while drunk, many are unaware of the potential risks associated with walking after drinking. When dealing with an experienced personal injury lawyer, your top focus should be obtaining compensation for your injuries sustained in a pedestrian accident brought on by a drunk driver.
Pedestrians’ Lack of Awareness
Both vehicles and pedestrians can contribute to a significant number of pedestrian accidents by acting carelessly or recklessly. Cars that are distracted by phones and MP3 players, as well as those that speed or change lanes carelessly, endanger pedestrians.
Pedestrians who fail to cross streets at designated crosswalks or walk into areas where cars are coming can also be deadly. Children in the 10-15 age group have the highest rates of non-fatal pedestrian traffic injuries because they lack fully developed cognitive and motor skills. Older people experience higher injury rates because of their physical frailty.
Pedestrians should always wear bright clothing when crossing roadways and be vigilant at night. They should always use sidewalks or paths whenever possible, even if it means walking on the shoulder.