Some of the most common types of accidents that result in serious injuries involve motor vehicles. These types of incidents include more than just multiple-vehicle crashes, however. Perhaps even more dangerous are motor vehicle crashes that involve pedestrians. In 2011 alone, 14 percent of traffic fatalities were pedestrians. Two out of three of those were struck at non-intersections and 3/4 occurred in urban locations. A person’s body simply cannot handle being hit by such a large and heavy object without experiencing significant injuries. Unfortunately, these injuries often times lead to death.
Many people don’t understand the significance of pedestrian accident education. This is because they fail to realize that they themselves have been pedestrians. Everyone is a pedestrian at some point in time. Pedestrians can include people walking along sidewalks or roadways, jogging or running, crossing at an intersection or crosswalk, and even bicyclists. Statistics show that a pedestrian will be injured every eight minutes and killed every two hours in a motor vehicle crash. Our goal is to lower those numbers by educating Georgians on safe practices as a pedestrian.
Pedestrian-automobile crashes are often blamed on the drivers of the motor vehicle(s) involved in the accident. Sometimes, however, it is the fault of the pedestrian that causes a crash. Pedestrians have a responsibility to keep themselves safe, just as motor vehicle operators do. In 2011, one-third of the pedestrians who lost their lives in a crash were drunk. Studies have also shown that pedestrians tend to become distracted on their cell phones or other electronic devices while traveling along roadways. It is your responsibility as a pedestrian to pay attention and not travel while intoxicated so that your errors do not cause an accident.
In the past few years, the NHTSA has granted multiple grants across the United States towards increasing pedestrian safety. Busy roadways were made safer for pedestrians, law enforcement was increased, and education strategies were improved so that fewer citizens would be involved in pedestrian accidents. Helpful tips to keep in mind while traveling as a pedestrian can be found at www.nhtsa.gov.
The award-winning attorneys at Jones & Swanson have represented victims of pedestrian accidents when the motor vehicle driver was at-fault. We understand what it takes to prove negligence in a pedestrian accident and offer free consultations so that you can determine whether you have a legal claim. For more information, call (770) 427-5498.
