According to information available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, every year about 5,000 people die in pedestrian accidents nationwide and at least another ten times that many are injured. It is a certainty that Connecticut has its share of both of these statistics.
Pedestrians should be aware that just because they obey the rules and cross only at intersections with crosswalks when does not ensure their safety; there are simply too many drivers who themselves have a much more relaxed attitude when it comes to safety considerations.
The behaviors of drivers who strike pedestrians are well known, and they fall under the general description of negligence. Some of the specific causes of car-pedestrian accidents that are attributable to drivers include:
- Distracted driving and driving too fast
- Failing to yield the right of way to pedestrians in crosswalks
- Disobeying traffic signs or signals, and failing to signal while turning
- Paying insufficient attention to weather and traffic conditions
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
The lessons that you were taught in childhood — look both ways before crossing the street, and only cross the road at intersections with marked crosswalks — are timeless in their relevance. But just as defensive driving is no guarantee against getting into a car accident when the other driver is not driving defensively, so, too is it possible to take every reasonable precaution as a pedestrian and still find yourself involved in a close encounter of the unpleasant kind with an automobile.
The bad news about being hit by a car when you are on foot is that it is very likely that you will suffer injury. The good news, in a relative sense, is that you can do something about it if it happens. A personal injury attorney who is experienced with car-pedestrian accident cases can help you to gain the recompense for your injuries that you will need in the aftermath of such an incident.
