The 6 Main Causes Of Pedestrian Accidents

Because driving or commuting isn’t always an option, almost all of us have to walk to get to places at least once a day. As pedestrians, we are always at risk of being hit by a car, truck, or other vehicle for a multitude of reasons. Every year, reckless driving causes thousands of pedestrians to be injured or killed.

Pedestrian accidents have become much too common, whether as a result of irresponsible driving or poor visibility circumstances. This leaves many of us feeling unsafe when walking, even on sidewalks. To prevent situations like these, it’s better to be aware of the many reasons a pedestrian accident may occur, and steer clear of these conditions as much as you can. If you’re on the other end, as a driver, it’s your responsibility to avoid these circumstances as well.

1. Drunk Or Intoxicated Driving

Today, someone gets injured in a drunk driving accident approximately every two minutes. Whether the driver is high on drugs or is excessively drunk, the chances of a collision increase tremendously. Alcohol and substance abuse is said to directly affect a person’s judgment, bodily functions, and cause their mind to blur or be zoned out. As a result, the chances of a pedestrian accident increase significantly. Drunk drivers are a threat to everyone, but they are even more likely to hit a pedestrian than another car. Making out a pedestrian, especially at night, can be difficult since alcohol impairs attentiveness and causes vision to blur.

2. Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of pedestrian accidents. In fact, 1 out of every 4 incidents is attributed to distracted driving. While it may appear to be acceptable to check your phone while driving, you never know when it could result in serious consequences, and you should avoid doing so.

Other activities including eating, utilizing an onboard entertainment system, chatting to others in your car, checking your reflection in the mirror, looking through your stuff, or simply daydreaming are all things that might cause you to become diverted while driving. These may seem simple activities but the distracted drivers who cause these road accidents face heavy fines, even court sentences in case of a serious accident. Imagine, one second you’re distracted and the next you’ve hit an innocent pedestrian and now face a heavy lawsuit, not to mention the guilt.

3. Speeding

Going over the speed limit may seem cool to some, but it can lead to serious consequences. When you're speeding, no matter how much control you think you have over your vehicle, even a tiny maneuver is exceedingly difficult to control. The speed of a vehicle generally has a direct impact on the driver's capacity to control the vehicle. Today, speeding is a major cause of pedestrian accidents, and with good reason. Visualize driving at a high speed and suddenly slamming on the brakes; the vehicle is certain to swerve or turn over in the rush, endangering both the pedestrian and the driver.

4. Bad Weather Conditions

Statistics show that 21% of all pedestrian accidents are caused by bad weather conditions. Heavy rains, thunderstorms, hailstorms, snowstorms, and any other extreme weather that renders drivers unable to control their automobiles fall into this category. These weather conditions create environmental dangers such as slippery roads and wet pavements, which significantly enhance the risk of an accident. Pedestrians and drivers alike should exercise caution in bad weather conditions because even a small amount of negligence might result in fatalities.

5. Jaywalking Or Bad Visibility

While it is always preferable to cross streets at crosswalks, there are times when this is just impossible or a crosswalk is unavailable in the immediate vicinity. This can leave you with no choice but to jaywalk, and drivers often fail to notice pedestrians jaywalking across streets.

Pedestrian accidents are also caused by a lack of visibility. Whether it's due to a lack of adequate street lighting or a pedestrian dressed in dark clothing, poor visibility puts automobiles at risk of causing a pedestrian mishap. In addition, the combination of jaywalking and dark clothing can heighten the risk of an accident, particularly at night.

6. Reckless Driving

Reckless driving is an obvious cause of the numerous pedestrian accidents that take place every year. If you own a car, then you need to take better care of how you use it on the road. Another factor to keep in mind, according to the information found at myAutoloan.com, is that you must have car insurance. While we all like to think we drive responsibly, there are others that don’t, and having insurance will go a long way in helping you in case something awful happens. Whether it’s drivers disregarding simple rules and traffic lights, or other reckless behavior like driving without headlights, careless drivers are the main cause of pedestrian accidents.

Pedestrian accidents are considered to be one of the most dangerous types of accidents happening on the streets and highways today. Because of the high-risk factors involved, both drivers and pedestrians should be extremely cautious, and responsible. Only by understanding the risks, and causes, and following the rules can we hope to avoid these unfortunate situations.