Summer in the Pacific Northwest is a beautiful time to explore the outdoors. As the warm weather continues, many people decide to travel by bike or on foot instead of jumping into their vehicles. Unfortunately, as careful as pedestrians may be when traveling along shared walkways and roadways, accidents still happen. When a pedestrian is struck by a moving vehicle, significant injuries can occur, leading to costly medical bills, lost wages, and other unanticipated expenses. Let’s take a quick look at three ways that pedestrians and motorists can work to reduce collisions on the road.
Safety Tip #1: Observe Marked Crosswalks and Intersections
As a pedestrian, it is important to cross busy roadways using clearly marked crosswalks, usually indicated with bright white stripes, yellow lights, and other obvious visual signals. When pedestrians try to cross the street at locations other than clearly marked intersections, accidents are much more common. Intersections are intended to alert drivers to the presence of pedestrians, so use these safe zones to protect yourself from being struck by a driver who wasn’t anticipating your presence.
Safety Tip #2: Make Yourself Visible
Pedestrians should take intentional actions to ensure that drivers notice their presence. Even if you are about to cross the road at a clearly marked intersection, make sure that drivers see you and slow down to let you cross. Make eye contact with the person behind the wheel when you can. If you are walking at dusk or after dark, carrying a flashlight or wearing reflective clothing is highly recommended to make sure you’re still visible to drivers.
Safety Tip #3: Don’t Travel While Distracted
Both pedestrians and drivers should avoid moving while distracted by their phones or while intoxicated. According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, 32 percent of pedestrian traffic deaths involved a distracted driver, while 43 percent of pedestrian traffic deaths involved an impaired pedestrian. Stay alert and aware of what’s going on around you so that you can keep yourself and others safe. Of course, if an accident does occur, be sure to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer to discuss your options for pursuing and collecting the compensation you need to make a full recovery.
If you’ve been involved in a pedestrian accident in the Vancouver or Battle Ground area, the knowledgeable personal injury attorneys at Henderson Taylor Law Firm are ready to assist you. Call (360) 737-1478 to get started today.
