Unfortunately, it is an unavoidable truth that vehicles can potentially put anyone on the road at risk. This includes pedestrians and bicyclists as well, even in areas designated safe walking or riding zones.
Even worse, many drivers of motorized vehicles forget that they have to share the road and that everyone using the road has an equal claim to it. They often act recklessly even around areas clearly marked for the use of pedestrians, leading to dangerous crashes that always end in the pedestrian suffering the worst of the damages.
Driver distraction and pedestrian deaths
Forbes discusses the concerning surge in walker deaths across the nation despite a lower amount of drivers hitting the road. In many cases, this ties to driver-side issues. Classically, drivers will often forget to look out for pedestrians and cyclists alike. They may ignore yield signs or stop signs, or turn without signaling properly to alert anyone nearby of their actions.
These days, driver distraction also plays a major part in the contribution of this rise. In specific, texting while driving or otherwise utilizing smartphones and other handheld electronic devices has a huge impact on driver focus and concentration. Many drivers already struggle to notice pedestrians, and this additional cognitive interference makes them even less likely to spot these vulnerable parties or react on time.
Compensation for crashes
While it always benefits pedestrians to pay extra mind to the surroundings when in crosswalks or on walking paths adjacent to roads, it is not the responsibility of a pedestrian to avoid getting hit. Thus, anyone who suffers in a crash with a vehicle should consider contacting legal help to seek compensation.