Because of the increasing number of pedestrians being hit by cars, it is necessary to review and be informed about the guidelines, rules, and laws that have to be followed by pedestrians when they share the area with cars and other types of vehicles. Just like drivers, pedestrians have certain responsibilities and have to take care of themselves since they are the ones that can suffer the most injury.
There are several simple rules pedestrians have to remember:
*Walk in a straight line in sidewalks, stop at crosswalks and pay attention to traffic signs and signals. If it is already dark at night, pay extra attention to your surroundings; this is something that has to be done when in bad weather.
*It is important to learn and obey traffic signs and signals. These are the only clues that are present most of the times when using the roads and sidewalks. Crossing the streets should be done only on sidewalks, but if there aren’t any you have to make sure there is no oncoming traffic that may hurt you.
*When walking at night, make sure others can see you clearly. Two options are to wear light-colored clothes or reflective materials. It is also good to pay attention to sounds since many times we can listen to a car even before seeing it.
Besides these common-sense guidelines, each state and country has a different set of rules and regulations that citizens must know and obey. If you need any help understanding these rules in the United States you can contact the professionals from Krasney Law to have the right people give you the right legal counsel.
What to do if you are involved in a pedestrian accident
Get contact information of the other party involved, gather evidence of the event, seek medical attention immediately if necessary, and call an attorney. These are the basic steps to take after an accident. After checking your health and that of others, it is important to call an attorney that can help you with the rest of the process. Some people remain in a state of shock for a long time, and this can interfere with their decision making.
You can also take some time to calm down and ask for the other party’s contact information. Nobody should leave the scene until some authority has arrived. Especially if there are injured people in the accident.
Don’t:
Panic, blame other people or yourself, say you’re sorry or apologize at the moment. It is crucial to remember that words are powerful and whose fault it is will be determined later by professionals. It is not up to you to say who is to blame. After the police arrive at the scene, they will study the scene and the evidence and elaborate a preliminary report.
Looking for medical treatment
After being injured an accident you have the right to receive medical attention. According to the results established by authorities, the costs of these medical procedures will be paid by the party in fault in the accident. Keep copies of all the medical records and documents.
Some pedestrians feel fine after the accident and deny themselves medical treatment, but some injuries appear after a while when it is already too late for the legal process to happen. It is important to be checked by a doctor immediately after the accident because there may be hidden injuries.
What to do as a driver
As a driver, you play a significant role in the safety of those around your vehicle. Sharing the road is basically a matter of respect and caution. It is important to reduce your speed, especially in areas where there are houses and other residential buildings.
Distractions are one of the most common causes of car or pedestrian accidents, so don’t text while driving. Obey the laws and respect traffic signs; these convey information to other drivers who trust these signs are going to be respected. Another important contribution would be to inform the authorities about situations that you consider risky for pedestrians; this way something can be done to improve their safety.
