Pedestrians face the risk of serious injury every time they share space with a motor vehicle. Whether it is crossing a road or jogging along with traffic, pedestrians always seem to be one distracted driver away from surgery, a hospital stay or lengthy physical therapy.
Residents in cities throughout Texas will likely choose to walk to their destinations for several reasons, including heath, exercise, recreation and the completion of short trips. Additionally, reasons can be combined (jogging to the market for a quick shopping trip) or multimodal (walking to the bus stop). No matter the rationale, pedestrian accidents can lead to devastating accidents.
In general, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program notes several different pedestrian crash types, including:
- Pedestrians darting or dashing into the roadway midblock
- Motorists failing to yield at an unsignalized or unindicated crosswalk
- Pedestrians struck by a vehicle while crossing in front of a bus
- Pedestrians struck by a vehicle turning at an intersection
- Motorists failing to stop at a marked intersection
Additionally, there are numerous other factors linked to various participants:
- Driver factors can include distracted driving, lack of training, unsafe driving practices and driving impairment including drugs, alcohol or prescription medication.
- Environmental factors can include intersection geometrics, poor sightlines, lack of markings and warning signs, and maintenance issues.
- Vehicle factors can include tire blowout or other safety feature malfunction, poor visibility and quiet vehicles providing no additional warning.
Pedestrian collisions can result in significant injuries including broken bones, head trauma, spinal cord damage, paralysis, soft tissue damage and other crush injuries. Depending on the type of vehicle involved in the collision, the pedestrian could be killed as a result of the crash. If you were injured or have lost a loved one in a pedestrian accident, it is wise to seek the guidance of an experienced legal professional.
