Tennessee Injury Law Center
I Walk the Line was Johnny Cash’s mantra. Aerosmith instructed us to Walk this Way and U2 told us to Walk On. And while Dire Straits sang about the Walk of Life, new statistics reveal walking has become more dangerous and deadly. Read on to find out all the facts including the most dangerous days for walking, the most dangerous locations and why this deadly trend should concern everyone.
In 2018, 6227 pedestrians were killed in the United States. In fact, fatal pedestrian accidents are at the highest level in roughly three decades and now account for 16% of all traffic-related deaths. Last year, more than 129,000 people were sent to emergency rooms for pedestrian accident injuries.
If you are thinking this issue does not apply to you because you do not walk to work or walk for exercise, think again. Almost every day, every single one of us is a pedestrian even if just for a short period of time. When we walk from our car to the grocery store or mall, we are a pedestrian. When we park in a parking garage and walk to an appointment, we are a pedestrian. When we walk to the edge of the road to get our mail from our mailbox, we are a pedestrian. While are children are on the sidewalk waiting for the bus, they are pedestrians. So, this issue applies to almost everyone and here is what you need to know:
- Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday are the deadliest days. Roughly half of the pedestrian accidents happen on these three days.
- Not surprisingly, nighttime is more dangerous than daytime.
- Urban roads away from intersections are the most dangerous.
- Alcohol plays a role in almost half of the pedestrian accidents.
- Children are most at risk.
- Speeding increases the risk of a pedestrian accident and increases the severity of the injury.
- New Year’s Day is more deadly for pedestrians than Halloween, which is a bit of a surprise.
As a driver, there are things you can do to reduce the likelihood that you will injure or kill a pedestrian:
- Don’t drink and drive;
- Don’t drive drowsy as it is almost as dangerous as drunk driving;
- Slow down to give yourself more time to see and react to a pedestrian;
- Do not pass vehicles stopped at a crosswalk;
- Be extra cautious in areas where children are often present such as school zones, parks, residential neighborhoods, etc.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a pedestrian accident, we are here to help. To find out if we think you have a case, all you have to do is call our office. We offer a free, initial consultation. If we think we can help and you decide to hire us, our award-winning accident lawyers handle all accident cases on a contingency basis. Call us at 615-742-4800 (Brentwood) or 615-867-9900 (Murfreesboro) or 615-669-3993 (Nashville).
To learn more, click the links below:
What You Should Know When Hiring a Lawyer
Understanding A Lawyer’s Contingency Fee
What is the Deadline For Filing Suit in Tennessee?