Pedestrian Accidents: Common Causes and How to Avoid Them

If you happen to be a jogger, walk for exercise or just walk to get from place to place in your city, you are at risk of being involved in a pedestrian accident. If you also happen to be a parent, your child or children are even more at risk. Children have smaller bodies which make them even more difficult to see and they sometimes do not exercise good judgment when crossing streets or when playing near traffic.

Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents

• Driver Inattention: One of the major causes of pedestrian accidents is driver inattention. Many things can distract drivers such as talking with other passengers in the car, talking or texting on cell phones, searching for music on the radio, trying to program a GPS, eating or drinking while driving to name a few. Drivers who are unfamiliar with an area who get confused are also a cause of accidents.
• Driver Traffic Violations: Another common cause of pedestrian accidents is from drivers violating traffic laws. Speeding, running red lights and stop signs, car racing and making unsafe turns are all common causes.
• Dangerous Intersections: Pedestrian accidents can sometimes be caused by a poorly designed intersection. There have even been accidents caused by signals at the intersection turning red too quickly not allowing enough time for a person to reach the other end of the street while in a cross walk and they wind up getting hit.

Avoiding Accidents

One of the best ways you can avoid an accident as a pedestrian is to keep your eyes open at all times. Watch the faces of drivers to see if they take note of you as a pedestrian when crossing streets or being near cars; observe to see if their attention is elsewhere. Be on the defensive. A study done by the Municipal Transportation Agency discovered that the most common driving maneuvers that were carried out just prior to a pedestrian accident were as follows:

• Making a left turn
• Making a right turn
• Backing up
• Making a U turn

If you or someone you love has been injured as a pedestrian in the Las Vegas area as a result of a driver's negligence, you need to contact a Las Vegas injury attorney as quickly as possible. At the De Castroverde Law Group, we are experienced personal injury attorneys who can aggressively defend you to help you get compensation for any injuries you or a loved one has sustained.

Contact a Las Vegas Pedestrian Injury Lawyer in our office today!