Not All Pedestrian Accidents Happen When A Pedestrian Is Trying To Cross The Road

Children learn, from the time they first learn how to walk, that it is dangerous to walk across a road where vehicular traffic is permitted.  You probably knew to look both ways before you cross the street before you even knew how to write your name.  Most pedestrian accidents happen when a person is crossing a busy street on foot.  Even if the pedestrian has the right of way at a crosswalk, a car might hit them because the driver was speeding and could not slow down in time, or because the driver was distracted or under the influence of alcohol or drugs and did not notice the pedestrian until it was too late.  Adverse weather conditions and lack of streetlights and crosswalks can also be contributing factors in pedestrian accidents.  Meanwhile, other pedestrian accidents occur when the pedestrian is beside the road instead of trying to cross.  All pedestrian accidents are preventable, and the legal route you take depends on what could have been done to prevent the accident.  If you got hit by a car while walking across or beside a city street, contact a Columbia car accident lawyer.

Pedestrian Accidents Can Happen on the Shoulder of the Road, Too

Collisions resulting in serious injury or death can occur when a car strikes a pedestrian who is walking beside the road, or even on a sidewalk.  When sidewalks are available, people tend to walk on them.  Incidents where a car hits a person walking beside the road are more common on rural roads where there are no sidewalks and fewer streetlights.  In accidents where a car veers out of its lane and hits a pedestrian who is walking beside the road, a safe distance from vehicular traffic, alcohol and drugs are often contributing factors.

Pedestrian accidents can also occur on the road shoulder, especially at night when there is insufficient lighting.  In this case, the pedestrian has usually pulled over onto the shoulder because of car trouble and is trying to fix the car.  For example, in November 2022, Johnathon Douglas Davis, 34, was killed when a car struck him as he was attending to his disabled vehicle on the shoulder of Lukesville Road in Union County.  The safest thing to do if your car breaks down at night is to stay inside the car and use your phone to call for help.  Do not get out of your car until a roadside assistance vehicle arrives.  If you don’t have roadside assistance, call a friend or family member to pick you up and go back in the morning to fix your car when it is light outside.

Let Us Help You Today

The personal injury lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you if you suffered serious injuries in an accident where a car struck you while you were on the shoulder of the road.  Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.

Source:

wyff4.com/article/pedestrian-killed-working-on-disabled-vehicle/41993011