Among all the road users, pedestrians are probably the most vulnerable to danger. They are often hit by cars, buses, trucks, motorbikes, bicycles, and sometimes even running pedestrians themselves. Pedestrian accidents can inflict various injuries, and the severity depends on what hit them, where they were hit and if they were wearing any protective equipment.
Pedestrian accidents happen in urban areas more because the number of road users is larger. Therefore, such accidents are extremely common in Queens. Speak to a queens pedestrian accident attorney today.
Common types of pedestrian accidents
- Turning vehicle accidents.
When cars make turns, the driver needs to continuously keep an eye on what is behind the vehicle to avoid hitting another car, pedestrian, or object. If they do not, it can become very dangerous for pedestrians who are trying to cross the street. Drivers making a left or right turn are often more focused on passing vehicles and forget to check for pedestrians.
- Off-road accidents.
The name must have told you that these accidents occur away from the road. These accidents usually happen when a pedestrian is walking on the sidewalk and a vehicle runs off-road and injures the person. Although rare, they occur, and the responsible factor is mostly drinking.
- “Multiple threat” accidents.
When a pedestrian is trying to cross the road, only one car does not need to stop. Multiple vehicles run on the road daily, and multiple cars, buses, and other motor vehicles may need to stop in order to let a pedestrian cross the road safely. An accident can happen even if 4 out of 5 cars stop for the person.
- Intersection accidents.
A common type of accident is when a pedestrian is trying to cross the street at the intersection, and a vehicle runs over them. In most cases, pedestrians wait until the moment they have the legal right to cross the street. Therefore, most of such accidents are the fault of the car driver.
In some uncommon cases, malfunctioning traffic signals and a lack of control devices are also to blame. Nevertheless, drivers are still required to watch for pedestrians.
- Distracted driver accidents.
Drivers have the duty to keep their eyes and focus on the road while driving at all times. Removing your focus from your surroundings and the road can cause an accident. If you have to send a text, grab something to eat, or fix your hair, stop your vehicle on the safe side of the road for a few minutes rather than multitasking.
