Atlanta has been undergoing some serious growth, and has nearly 500,000 residents. As a result, you can imagine that there are a lot of pedestrians traveling throughout the city. When pedestrian traffic increases, so do pedestrian accidents. In fact, pedestrian accidents increased by 53% between 2006 and 2015, an alarming statistic.
If you are a pedestrian in Atlanta, there are some things that you can do to take precaution. A good start is to understand the common causes of pedestrian accidents, so that you concrete things to keep an eye on while you walk throughout the city. Take a look at some of the common causes of accidents in Atlanta, and contact us immediately if you have suffered an injury. We will work with you to build a personal injury case that details all of the compensation you rightfully deserve, and we will fight for your rights until the end.
Jaywalking
“Jaywalking” is a slang term for crossing a street without using a crosswalk. While sometimes there are perfectly safe situations that a person could get across a street without the use of a sidewalk, there are other times where it could be a very dangerous situation. Using a crosswalk is not only the law, it protects pedestrians by giving drivers a clear understanding of what they need to do.
Unsignaled Turns
Sometimes a pedestrian will decide to cross a side-street because they see that there are no cars turning in their direction. If, however, the driver was planning to take a left turn and failed to use their turn signals, then it could ultimately lead to an accident. This can be especially dangerous if the driver is speeding to get through a yellow light.
Texting While Driving or Walking
It has been routinely shown that cell phone use makes people much more distracted, which means that they are a dangerous accessory while trying to be safe walking in a city, or driving. Texting while driving is a very common cause of accidents, but texting while walking can cause people to lose focus and simply drift out into a road, or cross a street without fully checking.
Dark Clothing
Dark clothing at night is a dangerous fashion decision because it keeps drivers from seeing you on the side of the road or crossing the street. When pedestrians are wearing bright or reflective clothing, oncoming cars can see them in their headlights, whereas when they are in all dark clothing, they simply blend into the background. If you plan to walk in a dark area, wear lighter clothes.
Lack of Sidewalks
In some areas of Atlanta, you may find that there are no sidewalks, or that they are under construction. Unfortunately, the risk of being struck by an oncoming car is a lot higher when you are not walking on a sidewalk. A sidewalk gives drivers a clear boundary to the road, and also provides an additional obstacle for the car to need to drive up if the driver were to swerve.
Speeding
Speed is an extremely common cause of accidents between cars, and between cars and pedestrians. At high speeds, drivers must have faster reaction times, and the vehicle takes longer to come to a complete stop. When a vehicle is speeding through city streets, pedestrians can pop out of anywhere, leading to an accident.
Contact Cambre & Associates Today
If you have been involved in a pedestrian accident, contact our firm today to discuss your options for seeking compensation. We are a team of experienced pedestrian accidents lawyer in Atlanta, and will be happy to take your case.