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Millions of Americans walk -- to school, to work, to the store or just around the block for a little bit of exercise. Our findings show that from 1986 to 1995, approximately 6,000 pedestrians were killed by automobiles each year, and more than 110,000 were injured.
Additional studies show that children and the elderly are the most likely to be injured in a pedestrian accident. Injuries caused by negligent drivers account for the majority of all catastrophic injury and death cases.
The attributes of a negligent driver include:
- An inattentive driver
- A preoccupied driver
- A driver who fails to observe the posted speed limit
- A driver who fails to yield the right of way to pedestrians at marked cross walks
- An individual driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Simply put, pedestrian accidents occur when an automobile strikes a pedestrian and the pedestrian is personally injured. In our modern age, walking across a street may be a dangerous activity and lead to a fatal experience. You can be alone crossing any street and get hit by a speeding vehicle. A pedestrian or bicyclist is killed every 3 1/2 minutes. Pedestrian accident injuries and fatalities result in $20 billion in societal costs. There are many causes as to why pedestrian may be injured by a vehicle, including: Here are some tips to keep you safe: - Always look both ways when crossing a street
- Pay attention to the turn signals before crossing a street
- Never J-walk by crossing in the middle of a block
- Make eye contact with the operator of an automobile before walking in front of it
- Do not drink alcohol while walking or crossing a street
- Walk on the left side of the street when there is no sidewalk
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