Pedestrian accidents present a significant risk to victims who are hit by vehicles because pedestrians have no protection from the force of the collision. These accidents are often fatal for pedestrians. If a driver is responsible for causing a pedestrian collision because that driver was not paying attention at the time when the incident happened, the driver can be held responsible for resulting losses. New York City pedestrian accident lawyers can provide representation to victims or to family members of victims killed in pedestrian accidents. Victims and their families may be able to obtain compensation if they can prove a driver was to blame for the accident occurring. Both drivers and pedestrians can take steps to try to reduce the risk of a pedestrian accident occurring. As WCAX reported, one mother whose son was killed in a pedestrian accident is trying to educate the public on some of the key ways that pedestrians can help contribute to the effort to stay safe while walking on the roads.
Mother Provides Education on Pedestrian Accidents After Suffering a Family Tragedy
According to WCAX, the mother whose son was killed in a pedestrian accident found out that her child had been involved in a collision in 2011. The incident occurred on November 15, and it took the life of her son, who was supposed to graduate from high school that year. When investigating the accident, the New York State Police determined that one of the contributing factors that caused the fatal car accident was that the young man who was walking did not have any reflective clothing on. This made it more difficult for the driver to see him. The mother of the young man who was killed has spent the six years since his death traveling to schools to stress the importance of pedestrian safety. She urges students and adults at the schools that she visits to wear something reflective while walking at night, even if it is just reflective shoes. Bright colors can also help drivers to see pedestrians as well. Some of the other key pedestrian safety tips that the mother stresses in her pedestrian education courses, and that authorities believe are important to preventing pedestrian crashes, include walking or running on the right side of the road, and making eye contact with drivers. Pedestrians are also urged to pay careful attention to their surroundings because if they do not pay attention, they may have a car barreling towards them but not be able to get out of the way. Paying careful attention and making eye contact can be especially important on streets where there are minimal cross walks and street lights, such as in less populated areas, but it is always important to know what is going on around you. While pedestrians should do their part to help prevent accidents, drivers are also expected to obey the rules of the road and to be vigilant. If a driver fails to pay proper attention and a collision occurs, the driver could be held legally liable for the resulting crash that occurs. New York City pedestrian accident lawyers can provide representation and support to victims of pedestrian accidents, so victims should get legal help as soon as possible following a collision.
