If you live or work in a high traffic area, it’s easy to get complacent about safety when you’re a pedestrian. It’s not uncommon to see people crossing the street even when cars are coming. Pedestrians assume that the oncoming cars will see them and slow down. Accident statistics tell us otherwise. Either way, the person traveling in a 2-ton car should always be on alert for people crossing the street unexpectedly.

Tips for Avoiding an Accident

In 2019, 1,697 pedestrians were injured by cars according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. That same year, 220 pedestrians were killed. There are many ways that drivers can adjust their mindset to reduce these numbers and avoid tragedy.

• Always be on the lookout for pedestrians, even if no sidewalks are present.
• Adjust your speed when you’re driving through poor weather or it’s dark outside.
• Put your foot on the brake and prepared to stop when approaching a crosswalk and intersection.
• When you see pedestrians crossing the road, slow down well before you approach, so that other drivers behind you have a chance to stop, too. You don’t want to be rear-ended.
• Never pass a vehicle that is stopped at a crosswalk. There might be someone crossing the road outside your range of vision.
• Pay close attention to speed limit signs in residential areas – particularly in school zones. Children can be unpredictable, and are oblivious to danger when they’re busy playing.

Road safety is a two-way street, of course. To share the road safely and avoid injuries, both pedestrians and drivers need to follow the law. If you were injured in a car accident as a pedestrian or a driver, you should consider talking to a personal injury lawyer. Izzy Yetnikoff is a lawyer with extensive legal experience in pedestrian injuries. Call Izzy Yetnikoff at Yetnikoff Law Offices, PLLC today if you’ve suffered a road-related injury. Call us at 800-279-6331 or visit us online for more information.