Types of Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian accidents can take many forms, including:
- Back-up accidents – Motorists forget to check for pedestrians even when their cars come equipped with rearview cameras. These accidents occur when drivers are backing out of driveways or parking spots.
- Intersection accidents – When a pedestrian tries to cross a multi-lane road, their safety depends on nearby drivers being aware of their presence. When drivers don’t see them at the intersection, there is a good chance of a car-pedestrian collision.
- Turning accidents – Drivers turning into an intersection may pay more attention to oncoming cars than pedestrians or make a fast turn without checking the crosswalk first.
- Crossing signals – Pedestrians may enter a crosswalk on a “walk” signal that changes to “don’t walk” before they finish crossing. This change “traps” them in an unsafe crosswalk and puts them at risk from drivers who aren’t paying attention.
- Distracted drivers – A distracted driver may run through a crosswalk, stop sign, or school bus stop sign and hit unsuspecting pedestrians.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
Like other types of accidents, pedestrian collisions often occur due to negligence. The negligence may arise from:
- Impairment – Nearly half of all pedestrian accidents in a recent year occurred due to driver or pedestrian alcohol use. About 13 percent of these accidents involved a motorist with a blood alcohol concentration of at least 0.08.
- Speeding – Most deaths occur in urban areas at night and away from intersections. That’s where higher driving speeds are more likely.
- Distracted driving – In one year in Georgia, nearly eight percent of vehicle-pedestrian crashes involved distracted driving.
- Inexperience – New drivers are less likely to look out for pedestrians before turning or backing out of a driveway or parking space. This inexperience makes them more likely to hit a pedestrian.
- Dangerous turns – Drivers may focus so much on other vehicles that they forget to check for pedestrians before making left or right turns.
Common Areas for Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian accidents happen in many environments, including:
- Parking lots – Motorists backing out of a parking spot may not check for pedestrians before proceeding. Lower-impact crashes often produce less serious injuries. However, some people sustain head trauma and fractures even in these less forceful collisions.
- Driveways – Drivers may rush to back out of the driveway into traffic before more cars arrive. In this rush, they can forget to check for nearby pedestrians.
- Crosswalks – Even when pedestrians are appropriately walking in crosswalks, they could be in danger. Drivers sometimes fail to keep a lookout for pedestrians, even in pedestrian-designated areas.
- Intersections – Drivers may become distracted, run a red light, and hit pedestrians. Or they may try to beat a yellow light before it turns red and strike pedestrians who have not yet finished crossing the street. Illegal left turns and U-turns at intersections can also cause pedestrian accidents.
- School zones – Children are also pedestrians when they are dropped off and picked up at school. Drivers may not follow the lower speed limits or could try to pass a school bus with its stop sign out and collide with children.
How to Prove Driver Negligence in Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrians must prove that the driver who hit them was negligent before they can get money for their injuries. Georgia law requires every driver to take reasonable care to avoid colliding with a pedestrian. If a driver fails that duty, they could be found negligent for the actions leading to an accident that injured a pedestrian. If that happens, they become responsible for the injuries and losses they caused.
An example would be a driver who didn’t stop at a stop sign hitting and injuring a pedestrian who was properly crossing the street at the time.
When the Pedestrian Was At Fault for the Accident
Sometimes, pedestrians could be partially at fault for accidents. When that happens, they might still be eligible for compensation. Georgia applies a comparative negligence doctrine. That means a pedestrian who was less than 50 percent at fault for the accident can pursue compensation from the at-fault driver. However, their financial recovery will be reduced by the amount of fault. For example, if a pedestrian is found 20 percent at fault for the accident, they could obtain money for 80 percent of their losses.
Types of Compensation for a Pedestrian Accident
The amount of compensation you could get for your injuries and losses depends on various factors, including the duration and severity of your injury. You could be compensated for the following:
- Medical expenses
- Future expected medical costs
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
Wrongful Death Claims Resulting from Pedestrian Accidents
Money is insufficient compensation for the loss of a loved one in a pedestrian accident. But compensation in wrongful death cases is not meant to replace the one you lost. It could make your financial situation easier during this difficult time, though.
You could be compensated for the following:
- Final medical expenses
- Funeral and burial costs
- Lost income and benefits from the loved one
- The victim’s pain and suffering
- Loss of companionship
Contact Our Law Firm and Speak to an Alpharetta Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Today
If you or a loved one were a pedestrian hit by a car, the last thing you should deal with is adversarial insurance companies and an endless to-do list to get the money you need. The experienced Alpharetta pedestrian lawyers at Geiger Legal Group, LLC can help you through this. Contact us today for a free consultation.
