You walk to and from work, to pick up your kids at school and to do your shopping. You bought a home in a busy area because you wanted to be able to be more active and to avoid driving.
Unfortunately, such a busy area does come with the risk of getting hit by a car or truck. Over time, you’ve noticed that drivers have become worse, and sometimes, they don’t even look up when they pass through crosswalks.
As a pedestrian, there are a few things you can do to avoid getting hit by a distracted driver. These include:
- Avoiding wearing headphones or blocking your hearing so that you can stay alert to vehicles
- Actively looking around you for hazards, especially when you are crossing the street or are close to the road
- Crossing streets quickly when you have the right of way, but only after you check both directions for oncoming traffic
As a pedestrian, you have the right of way when you cross in a crosswalk or at an intersection. If a driver does not slow down and stop before turning towards you or goes around another vehicle that stopped for you, then your life could be at risk. The best thing you can do is to remain vigilant and to pay attention to what’s going on around you. Try to cross with a group, and avoid being distracted by phone calls or texts.
Even if you’re doing exactly what you should be doing and are walking in a place that should be safe, however, you could be injured. If that happens, you may want to pursue a claim against the distracted driver who hit you. Their actions have consequences, and it’s only fair to hold them accountable.