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Who is Responsible for Pedestrian Accidents?

Walking is a great way to get exercise and enjoy one’s surroundings, especially if you live in or are visiting an urban area. However, when the drivers of motor vehicles fail to watch out for people on foot, serious accidents may occur. 

Every year, pedestrian accidents kill approximately 4,000 people and injure another 76,000 across the country. This means that a person dies from a car-pedestrian accident every two hours and is injured every eight minutes. The reason why pedestrians are at such high risk is because many drivers fail to take note of the presence of people on foot crossing streets or walking along shoulders. To say the least, a collision between the two strongly disfavors pedestrians, and even a minor accident may result in serious injuries.

Determining fault after an accident

When one of these accidents does occur, it’s important to determine exactly who or what was at fault. This is especially true if one of the parties decides to pursue a legal claim. When a person sues for a personal injury related to an auto accident, he or she does so by claiming negligence was involved. To prevail, the plaintiff must show that the defendant failed to act with reasonable care, thereby causing the crash and the resulting injuries.

When examining a pedestrian accident, one must look at the unique facts of the case. Just because a car hit a person does not automatically mean that the motorist is at fault. Pedestrians, like drivers, must follow the rules of the road and cannot cross at red lights or otherwise ignore traffic signals. Additionally, drivers must be on the lookout for pedestrians, especially in urban areas were pedestrians are most common.

If you or someone close to you has been injured in a pedestrian accident, you may be able to take legal action. To learn more, meet with a skilled Florida personal injury attorney today.

Attorney Mark Link also contributed to this blog post.

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