Driving Habits That Can Increase Pedestrian Crash Risk

It can be easy for drivers to forget that they share the roads with other users, whether they be motorcyclists, cyclists, or pedestrians. Unfortunately, forgetting about these individuals is extremely dangerous, as they are already the most vulnerable to injury in the event of a crash. Even choices that don’t seem particularly perilous can end up having devastating consequences for pedestrians. We’ve included a few of the most high risk behaviors in which drivers can engage in the presence of pedestrians.

Rolling Through Stop Signs 

Rolling through a stop sign may seem like a relatively innocuous action. After all, it usually occurs at low speeds and often when there are no other vehicles present. Doing so, however, is extremely dangerous, as pedestrians who are using crosswalks, whether at an intersection or other traffic sign, assume that drivers are going to come to a complete stop as is required by law. A driver who fails to notice a pedestrian before deciding to roll through a stop sign could cause a serious collision, as even at low speeds, crashes between vehicles and pedestrians almost always result in an injury for the latter.

Speeding 

While speeding is always dangerous, it is doubly so in areas where pedestrians are likely to be walking, like neighborhoods and residential roads. The faster a vehicle is traveling, the harder it is for the driver to come to a stop and avoid a potential collision with an unsuspecting pedestrian. Higher speeds also significantly increase the risk of causing catastrophic injuries for pedestrians, whose bodies simply are not made to withstand the impact of a collision with a speeding vehicle weighing several thousand pounds.

Distracted Driving 

Of the many causes of pedestrian accidents, distracted driving is probably one of the most common, with many people engaging in distracting behaviors on a daily basis without even being aware of it. For instance, while many people associate texting and driving with distracted driving, many are unaware that using a phone at all, eating a snack on the way to work, fiddling with the GPS, reaching for something in the backseat, having an intense conversation with a passenger, or even daydreaming could be just as dangerous. The time it takes to glance into the backseat or to adjust the volume on the stereo could be enough, especially when a driver is speeding, to result in a collision with a pedestrian. Distracted driving continues to plague pedestrians especially in busy cities like Atlanta, where road traffic is heavy, but other road users, like pedestrians and cyclists are also present.

Recovery Options for Your Pedestrian Accident 

Most car accidents, including collisions with pedestrians, are the result of driver error. Negligent motorists who don’t use the care that they should when driving can be held liable for causing these kinds of accidents, so if you sustained an injury in a pedestrian accident, please consider reaching out to a dedicated Atlanta pedestrian accident attorney for an explanation of your recovery options. The legal team at Shiver Hamilton Campbell is standing by to address any questions or concerns that you might have.

Sources: 

safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/ref_mats/fhwasa1304/Resources3/08%20-%20The%20Relation%20Between%20Speed%20and%20Crashes.pdf

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3804087/