How to Prevent Pedestrian Accidents

Awareness is the key to ending pedestrian accidents. When it comes to these types of accidents, pedestrians always lose simply because of the size and weight of the vehicle. While there is little that a pedestrian can do to prevent a driver from driving distractedly or negligently, there are certain steps that they can take to increase their own levels of safety. Here are some helpful tips from SGP Law for drivers and pedestrians alike to prevent pedestrian accidents in Mesa.

As a pedestrian, the best ways to protect yourself from becoming a victim of an accident include:

• Only cross where there are signals or crossing guards if possible – NEVER JAYWALK
• Only cross on a crosswalk when the “walk” symbol is displayed
• Even when it is legal to cross the street, check both ways for traffic and stay aware of drivers who may be running a red light, making a turn, or who are simply not paying attention
• Never assume that it is safe to cross simply because it is legal to do so
• Be wary around driveways, since drivers may not see you as they pull into the driveway or back out
• After exiting a bus, look for traffic before crossing the street (as vehicles may not be able to see you around the bus)
• If you have children that walk to school, walk with them and make sure you demonstrate the proper places to cross and how to stay safe. Don’t allow young children to walk to school alone
• Avoid walking and crossing the street after dark, but wear reflective clothing if you must do so

As a driver, it is your responsibility to look out for pedestrians and take extra precautions to keep from hitting them, including the following:

• Pedestrians have the right of way in marked and unmarked crosswalks. Jaywalkers, or those who cross illegally, are in the wrong. However, this does not make them targets. Stay alert for people who cross without warning
• All corners have crosswalks even though many of them are unmarked
• Wear sunglasses to avoid glare if the sun is reflecting on vehicles and buildings. Keep your windshield clean
• Watch for pedestrians coming out from between parked cars
• Drivers have a height advantage when it comes to seeing motion, so look to see what moved if you spot something shifting out of the corner of your eye
• Check for pedestrians before entering or exiting a driveway
• Always keep an eye on your vehicle’s blind spots and be aware of your surroundings at all times
• Take care around vehicles that attract pedestrians, such as buses, ice cream trucks, and the light rail
• Always slow down when driving in areas that contain lots of pedestrians, such as neighborhoods and downtown areas

The tragedy of a pedestrian accident is something that nobody wants to encounter. The best way to protect yourself from such accidents is to stay aware and to also take extra care to make up for people who may not be paying attention. It is estimated that as many as 99 percent of pedestrian accidents could be eliminated if people took a little more caution at crosswalks.