Based on one of the previous reports from NHTSA, about 5,000 people die every year in traffic-related pedestrian accidents. And several of these are actually caused by car crashes.

But over the years we’ve seen the number of pedestrian deaths rise above 5,000 and more than 129,000 pedestrians seek medical attention in emergency room. Despite the fact that the number of traffic fatalities is decreasing, the number of accidents involving pedestrians has remained the same.

Traffic accidents involving pedestrians are dangerous and in the majority of cases they are deadly, so it’s important to understand the risks involved. In order to prevents these accidents from happening, we need to know how they occur so we could figure out a way to avoid them.

Pedestrian accidents – Common causes

Pedestrian accidents are mostly caused by traffic accidents, whether it’s with a car, truck or motorcycle. In these type of accidents, pedestrians are more likely to be killed than the occupants of the passenger vehicle.

50% of pedestrian accidents are cause due to alcohol consumption according (by the pedestrian or the motor vehicle driver) to the research done by the CDC. So both should be extra responsible on the road.

Some of the most common reasons for pedestrian accidents include:

• Drunk driving
• Distracted driving (when the driver is distracted either using the phone or texting)
• Reckless driving
• Bad weather conditions
• Not following traffic laws
• Reckless driving

Who is at risk of pedestrian accident?

To put it simply, everyone who is walking on or near a roadway can be a victim of a pedestrian accident. However, there are some that are at much greater risk than others. CDC has released some findings according to which people who are 65 years or older are more likely to be involved in pedestrian accidents. And another data shows the 1 in 5 children younger than 15 years that were killed were also pedestrians. So according to this statistic children and elderly adults are actually facing higher risks of being killed in pedestrian accidents.

If you or someone you know was involved in a pedestrian accident, Schenk and Podolsky can help. Contact us today and seek legal advice.