As the winter comes to an end, the warming weather encourages the public to travel by foot rather than car in the pleasant conditions. While it is wonderful that people will be spending more time outdoors, it must be noted that an increase in the number of pedestrians traveling by foot will correlate with an increase in traffic injury rates if people don’t walk and drive mindfully during the Spring. This increased risk of traffic injury is heightened further in urban areas where traffic (both foot and vehicle) is concentrated.
During this time of increased accident risk, it is important for drivers to be on the lookout for pedestrians and drive defensively in order to prevent accidents, keeping in mind that even pedestrians that look as if they are walking steadily can trip and lose balance.
Pedestrians should choose to walk along designated walking areas, as well as maintain a reasonable distance between themselves and the roadway on which vehicles are moving. If walking for exercise and not to arrive anywhere in particular, it may be prudent to choose a path completely separate from roadways on which cars are moving so as to eliminate the risk of vehicular injury. Pedestrians can further minimize their risk by wearing colors that would be easily visible to drivers.
If a pedestrian injury or auto accident results from negligent driving, the driver is subject to civil liability for any resulting damages, reduced by the proportion of fault, if any, attributable to the person that was harmed. If you or someone you know has been harmed in an auto accident resulting from negligence, please contact our office.