Pedestrian Accidents: When Walking Turns Dangerous

When you think of dangerous activities, walking down the street is usually pretty low on the list. However, the unfortunate truth is that walking isn’t always as safe as we assume it to be, especially if there are cars nearby.

Pedestrian accidents—usually between a pedestrian and a car—are very common. Thousands of pedestrians are killed in vehicular accidents every year, and hundreds of thousands are injured.

These high rates are due in part to the fact that it doesn’t take very high speeds for impact by a car to harm or even kill a pedestrian. Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to be blindly speeding to hit and hurt someone walking down the street. In fact, cars can cause serious injuries to pedestrians at speeds as low as 10 miles per hour. At higher speeds, the chance of serious injury or death for an unprotected pedestrian rises significantly.

What Causes Pedestrian Accidents?

Like most accidents, pedestrian accidents are most frequently caused by reckless behavior—either by the driver, the pedestrian, a third party, or some combination thereof. Most often, though, pedestrian accidents are primarily or even solely the fault of the driver of the car (or any other type of vehicle), often caused by negligent behavior while driving. Negligent behaviors that can lead to pedestrian accidents include:

• Inattentive or distracted driving
• Texting or using ones’ phone while driving
• Driving while tired or sleep-deprived
• Driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol
• Speeding
• Failing to yield the right-of-way
• Failing to heed traffic rules
• Failing to use turn signals
• Running red lights
• Making blind turns

What Are The Most Common Injuries In A Pedestrian Accident?

Because pedestrians are completely unprotected, they can be very seriously injured by car accidents—often far more seriously than the driver of the car.

Pedestrian accidents can cause a range of injuries, including:

• Scrapes, gashes, and soft tissue injuries (including “road rash”)
• Fractures, sprains, and breaks
• Muscle and nerve damage
• Neck, back, and spinal cord injury
• Internal injuries, including organ damage and internal bleeding
• Paralysis and quadriplegia
• Traumatic brain injury
• Coma
• Death

Pedestrians who sustain serious or even moderate injuries from a car crash are often plunged into a complete and total life change. They usually require extensive medical treatment and care, which can quickly become enormously expensive. What’s more, they are often required to take time off of work while healing, which can be an enormous hit to the finances of their household.

In some cases, the pedestrian’s injuries can cause lifelong debilitation as well as chronic pain and suffering, which can drastically reduce a person’s quality of life and permanently rob them of the ability to support themselves and their families. Being injured or having a family member injured in this way can leave people struggling in enormous debt, not knowing what to do next.

I Have Been Injured In A Pedestrian Accident. What Can I Do About It?

If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident, it is absolutely essential to reach out as soon as possible to a personal injury attorney. New Jersey State Law only allows two years from the date of an accident to file a personal injury claim, so time is of the essence.

An adept, knowledgeable personal injury attorney with ample experience handling New Jersey pedestrian accident personal injury cases will be able to seek damages. These damages will help relieve the financial burden caused by the accident, and give you the recovery that you deserve.

In Haddon Heights, New Jersey, the man to call is Attorney Robert Simons. Attorney Simons has the expertise, experience, and skill to argue effectively on your behalf, and to get you the best results possible. Reach out to Attorney Robert Simons today for a free consultation on your Haddon Heights pedestrian accident case.