Every year, more than 6 million accidents occur in the United States. When you’ve been in a pedestrian accident, the last thing you want to deal with is a fleeing driver. The state of Florida, unfortunately, has a high rate of hit-and-runs. In terms of hit-and-run accidents, Florida ranks third in the country. Hit-and-run accidents are also a problem in New Mexico and Louisiana.
Many people blame city infrastructure for the high number of pedestrian accidents. The majority of cities were not designed with pedestrians in mind. Instead, they are designed to facilitate motor vehicle travel at the expense of pedestrian safety measures like sidewalks, crosswalks, pedestrian overpasses, bike lanes, and efficient public transportation.
How Can You Avoid a Pedestrian Accident?
When a pedestrian is hit by a moving car, the consequences are often fatal. As a result, all pedestrians must take precautions to reduce their chances of being involved in a pedestrian accident. Even though not all accidents can be avoided, you should always take steps to protect your safety. Pedestrians should take the following precautions to avoid pedestrian accidents:
Obey all traffic laws: Pedestrians should not cross the street or break any other traffic laws. If there are no sidewalks, walk in the opposite direction of traffic to better view oncoming traffic. Also, it would help if you never hitchhiked on the side of the road. It would help if you didn’t do business with drivers, either.
Use the crosswalk: Safe zones and regions to stroll around are marked as zebra crossings in the urban design and planning of a vast state like Florida. Furthermore, junctions now have pedestrian crossing signals to ensure the safe passage of pedestrians. These white and black lines are for pedestrians to walk on safely, but they can also be used by automobiles. This is since they are visible while driving and frequently include electric signals to aid both drivers and pedestrians in navigating the roadways.
Remain visible to vehicles: When walking in high-traffic areas, the CDC recommends that pedestrians wear bright, reflective clothing to make themselves more visible. Pedestrian deaths are more common in cities, at non-intersection sites, and at night.
What To Do After A Pedestrian Accident
If you intend to file a personal injury claim after an accident, showing negligence should be one of your primary concerns because the victim always bears the burden of proof. This, however, should not be your primary concern right after the accident. Your lawyer can assist you in proving negligence in a pedestrian accident and fighting for your right to compensation. After a pedestrian collision, here’s what you should do.
Seek Medical Attention
The injured pedestrian’s single-most-important priority after being struck by a vehicle should be to seek medical attention. It would make no difference if you were hit by a car, truck, or motorcycle. Nothing is more vital to a pedestrian accident victim’s physical, emotional, legal, and financial well-being than seeing a doctor as soon as possible and receiving all necessary medical treatment.
Call Law Enforcers
To report an accident and request assistance:
1. Dial 911.
2. If you are unable to summon help, have a bystander assist you.
3. Tell the dispatcher you’ve been hit by a car as a pedestrian.
The police are especially vital since they must take statements for a police report and examine any underlying causes of the accident, such as a DUI or other related crime.
Do Not Give Recorded Statement
Almost every driver who hits a pedestrian is clever enough to call their insurance company soon away. Then their insurance company contacts the individual who was injured. Their goal is to capture your version of events. The issue arises when the questions are intended to lead you to a response that will benefit them in their pedestrian injury claim.
Gather Evidence
Photographs are generally an excellent idea if you can collect helpful evidence after your mishap. Please take pictures of any physical injuries, the accident location, and the area around it. Witness testimony can be pretty beneficial in a personal injury case.
Call An Attorney
The sooner you hire an attorney to handle your case, the sooner you may focus on your physical recovery and avoid dealing with insurance companies. Hiring the services of a skilled personal injury attorney will help you establish your case more quickly. It will also improve your chances of winning the case dramatically.
Practicing safe walking behaviors is the best approach to avoid the unpleasant situation of getting involved in a pedestrian mishap. Always keep an eye on your surroundings and follow all traffic laws. A pedestrian accident’s consequences can be debilitating. As a result, file a personal injury claim as soon as possible following the accident. Some jurisdictions have a small-time restriction for filing these types of lawsuits, so it’s essential to get started as quickly as possible.
Carol
Information sourced by the author for luxuryactivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.
