What Exactly is a Pedestrian Accident?
Nov. 8, 2022
Well, first we need to define what a pedestrian really means. According to Wikipedia, a pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. This usually refers to someone walking or running on a road or pavement, such as a sidewalk, but it also can refer to someone walking or running on any sort of footpath. So, now what then is a pedestrian accident? A pedestrian accident is an accident that involves a vehicle on the road and individuals or pedestrians walking or running on the street, sidewalk, or any other sort of path. Vehicles are obviously heavy machines and when they make contact with a pedestrian that individual may suffer from severe, possibly life-threatening injuries. At the very least the victim is likely to offer some sort of substantial injury. No matter how severe of an injury is sustained the accident is traumatic for all those involved.
According to the New York State DMV, in a recent year, there was more than 15,000 pedestrian accidents in such year. Some were fatal but in almost all of them, some type of injury occurred. If you were involved in a pedestrian accident and sustained injuries you should contact an attorney immediately. At the Law Offices of Spencer M. Fein, P.C. we have been helping such victims, throughout the county of Westchester and the State of New York, obtain substantial results for their injuries.
How Do Many Pedestrian Accidents Occur?
One of the most common causes of pedestrian accidents is when a person fails to walk within a marked crosswalk. Using crosswalks certainly reduces the risk of a pedestrian accident because drivers are more likely to see a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In our many years of practice at the Law Offices of Spencer M. Fein, P.C. we have represented numerous clients throughout Briarcliff Manor, Ossining, White Plains, Mt. Kisco, Yonkers, and other locations within the State of New York who were injured while they tried to cross a roadway in an area other than a marked crosswalk. Drivers can be distracted and fail to notice individuals crossing streets or parking lots or any walking/running areas.
Modern technology is great for advancement and modern vehicles are beginning to help with the climate issues and energy dependency of the world. However, many of these modern vehicles are a lot less noisy than typical motor vehicles. You have begun to hear the phrase that they are quiet cars. Again, this is great for the environment and society but one effect has been more pedestrian accidents caused by these quiet vehicles. This is because a pedestrian just does not hear the vehicle and could not avoid the vehicle because it was so quiet. These types of accidents are obviously just beginning to become more common and as such, it is important to have an attorney located in New York to help you with such instances. The Law Offices of Spencer M. Fein, P.C. are very capable of handling these new quiet car-pedestrian accidents.
Another very common pedestrian accident happens when a vehicle is turning. When turning the driver is more likely to pay attention to where they are going and the traffic in the area than a pedestrian crossing the roadway. This is especially true when vehicles are making left turns. Although many of these accidents don’t cause fatalities as the turning vehicle is not usually going at an excessive rate of speed they do nonetheless very often cause substantial injuries to the pedestrian.
Speeding and reckless driving is obviously major cause of pedestrian accidents. It is common sense that if you are speeding it is going to take a longer time for the vehicle to stop. Many times those speeding just don’t have enough time to stop by the time they see the pedestrian. Similarly, those driving recklessly just are not paying enough attention to avoid a collision with a pedestrian.
Speaking again of modern technology, cell phones, are becoming one of the most common causes of pedestrian accidents. Being able to text, write emails, surf the internet, make zoom calls, etc. from a device that can fit in our pocket is truly amazing, however, it also leads to distraction for drivers.
Although there are many other causes of pedestrian accidents, such as nighttime, alcohol use, etc., the above-mentioned conditions are some of the most common we have seen in our years of practice. If you were a victim of a pedestrian accident and are located in the County of Westchester County of Putnam, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and other locations throughout New York feel free to contact the Law Offices of Spencer M. Fein, P.C. to discuss you case.