Pedestrian Injuries & How to Avoid Them

Nashville is a booming city with a tremendous number of pedestrians walking the city streets 24 hours per day every day of the week. However, more pedestrians in the city have been involved in serious and fatal traffic accidents in recent years.

According to USA Today, Nashville experienced a significant increase in pedestrian deaths in 2017. Approximately 80 percent of recent pedestrian fatalities occurred near state roadways.

Pedestrian accidents and injuries often involve motor vehicles. The most common causes of pedestrian-vehicle accidents include distracted driving, intoxicated driving, reckless driving, rolling through stop signs and failing to obey the traffic laws.

It is imperative to understand that many people use the roads, so we must all do our part to ensure everyone remains safe. Knowing what you can do to help avoid a pedestrian accident can protect Nashville residents and yourself.

Tips for Pedestrians

The following are steps pedestrians can take to avoid an accident:

• Always use designated crossing areas – Whenever you’re on foot, make sure you only use designated pedestrian crosswalks since they are often equipped with traffic control devices so you can safely cross the street.
• Wait for drivers to see you before crossing the street – Many drivers do not have their undivided attention on the road. Do not expect motorists to see you, even if you have the right of way.
• Keep an eye on all vehicles when you cross – Although vehicles closest to the crosswalk may see you cross the street, cars behind them may attempt to drive around. Additionally, look out for moving vehicles when walking near parked cars.

Tips for Drivers

Here are several tips for drivers to avoid colliding with a pedestrian:

• Drive slow in heavily populated areas – Whenever you see pedestrians drive slowly to provide extra time to react in case they do anything unexpected. Aside from busy streets, also drive slow when driving through residential areas and school property.
• Make eye contact with pedestrians – Eye contact is a way of letting pedestrians know that you’ve seen them before they cross the street.
• If a car stops in front of you, do not attempt to speed past it – Just because a vehicle suddenly stops in front of you, do not assume that they are doing it for nothing. If you drive around them, it is possible you can strike a pedestrian you didn’t initially see.
• Consider the weather – Whether it’s rain or fog, adverse weather conditions can make driving challenging, as well as seeing far distances. If the weather is bad, give yourself an ample amount of time and distance to prepare for unexpected road conditions.

If you have suffered an injury caused by a negligent party, contact our Nashville personal injury attorneys at Jeff Roberts & Associates, PLLC today.