Can Walking Through an Intersection Raise Your Risk for a Pedestrian Accident?

Thousands of pedestrians are killed and tens of thousands of pedestrians are injured in traffic accidents every year. While pedestrian accidents can occur just about anywhere from a residential street to a busy intersection, collisions that take place in intersections are often very serious.

Many intersection accidents occur because a driver fails to stop at a red light and speeds through it at the same time a pedestrian steps off the curb to cross the street. Unfortunately, pedestrians are more vulnerable and are no match against a fast moving motor vehicle. Even when a driver fails to see a pedestrian in the intersection and slowly turns left or right at a lower speed into the pedestrian, the result can be catastrophic.

Intersection Dangers

Intersections are dangerous places for drivers and pedestrians alike. While they are designed to be controlled environments due to signal lights and yielding laws, intersections can actually be one of the most dangerous places for pedestrians to step foot in. This is because walking through an intersection raises a pedestrian’s risk of being hit due to the high volume of traffic moving through the area.

While most pedestrian accidents at intersections are the fault of red-light runners, distracted drivers, and negligent drivers, motorists aren’t always the ones at fault in intersection crashes. In fact, pedestrians have been known to act carelessly or cross the street illegally. Because of this, reducing pedestrian accidents is the responsibility of both drivers and pedestrians.

In order to reduce your chance of being in a crash, follow these tips:

• Stay alert
• Look both ways before crossing the street
• Don’t jaywalk
• Always follow the traffic pedestrian signals
• Don’t walk distracted
• Don’t walk intoxicated
• Try to avoid walking during 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (especially on Friday afternoons, which is known to be the highest day that drivers run red lights)
• Wear reflective clothing when walking at night

If you have been a victim of an intersection pedestrian accident due to a driver running a red light or failing to yield the right-of-way to you, you should learn about your rights. Find out how to hold the negligent driver accountable and how you can seek damages by ordering a free copy of our book, What You Need to Know After a Florida Auto, Truck, or Bike Accident.