With school back in session, there may be a significant increase in pedestrian traffic on many Louisiana roads. Whether you are a college student walking to and from class, or a parent with children that use the sidewalk to travel to school, you likely consider pedestrian safety a serious concern.
On some level, the safety of a pedestrian may lie partly in the hands of nearby drivers. However, you may still wish to educate yourself or your children on pedestrian safety procedures and traffic laws in hopes of reducing the likelihood that a potentially disastrous accident will occur.
Advice on staying safe as a pedestrian
Since it can be difficult, if not impossible, to react in time to avoid a fast-moving car, your primary focus may be on learning how to identify a potential hazard before it happens. Some advice to help prepare you or your children to keep safe while walking may include:
- Awareness is key: When walking near traffic, having constant awareness of your surroundings could help you spot a possible threat to your safety in time to avoid it.
- Distraction is dangerous: As a pedestrian, it is advisable to avoid actions that can distract you from the task at hand, such as listening to music or carrying on a phone conversation.
- Be visible: Since pedestrians are more difficult to spot out on the road, taking steps to increase your visibility and steering clear of obstacles that obstruct a driver’s view of you are both ways to increase your safety.
- Never assume: Even with the presence of a traffic signal or crosswalk, it is never advisable to assume that a car will stop and yield the right of way.
When possible, it may also be in your best interests to walk in a group, as a group is much more visible than a single pedestrian. However, if you follow safe walking procedures and traffic laws to the letter, and a car still hits you, you could be wondering about the next steps to take.
Serious injuries
Pedestrian-related collisions run the unfortunate risk of being exceedingly dangerous, and if a car strikes you, there is a chance you may suffer serious or permanent harm in the process. If the other driver is at fault, you could choose to speak with someone with experience in the area for advice on your available options for legal recourse. This type of guidance could help prepare you to pursue the full amount of compensation you’re entitled to receive through a personal injury claim.