PEDESTRIAN SAFETY TIPS DRIVERS SHOULD KNOW AND ABIDE BY

Pedestrian safety is an important topic that, when forgotten, can lead to serious injuries and even fatalities for pedestrians. It is useful for drivers to be aware of how to keep pedestrians safe on the roadways and to remind themselves of the important safety tips that can help make sure everyone gets home safe and ok.

Everyone is a pedestrian at some point during their day. Sadly, pedestrian fatalities remain high. During 2018, there was a 3% increase in pedestrian fatalities which represented the loss of 6,283 pedestrian victims. Each pedestrian accident victim represents a family that is having to adjust to life without their loved one.

Safety tips drivers can follow to help avoid pedestrian accidents include:

• Looking for pedestrians everywhere and at all times
• Yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks
• Abiding by the speed limit
• Abiding by all traffic signs and signals
• Exercising extra caution when backing up
• Not driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs

When the weather is less than ideal or at night time, extra care is necessary. Providing the necessary space for pedestrians – even those in crosswalks – is also important. Traffic laws like speed limits are also meant to protect pedestrians, and lower speed limits can often signal the potential presence of walkers, such as those around school zones. As a major contributor to accidents across the board, drugs and alcohol should also be avoided by those getting behind the wheel.

It is essential to the safety of pedestrians to remember that pedestrian safety is a shared responsibility and drivers on the roadways must play their part. When a driver has failed to exercise caution for the safety of pedestrians, pedestrian victims and their families may be able to pursue remedies available through a personal injury claim for damages against the negligent driver. Just as drivers should know how to protect pedestrians on the roadways, pedestrians should know how to protect themselves when they have been harmed.