Pedestrian accidents take place every year across the United States and tend to cause serious results to those involved. In 2016, it was reported that one in five children killed in traffic collisions happened to be pedestrians, which means that pedestrian accidents are likely to cause serious results to children. Young children are not familiar with the common traffic rules that pedestrians tend to follow, which is why the likelihood of these accidents is even greater.
Learning how to keep children safe in these accidents and understanding the causes of these accidents is an important way to prevent these crashes from happening in the first place. Together, we can end pedestrian accidents involving children.
How Drivers Can Work to Prevent Child Pedestrian Accidents
As mentioned, children do not always know the ins and outs of road safety, which is why it is important that drivers always abide by the rules of the road so that they can offer children protection they deserve. The fact that children are not familiar with road rules can also put drivers at risk. Take this as an example: perhaps a motorist is driving as carefully as possible. They are abiding by the speed limits and paying close attention to the roads as the night grows dark. However, a child, who is unaware of road rules, jumps out into traffic at the last minute and causes a driver to swerve. The two collide and now the driver wonders what they can do during this challenging time.
Many complications can present themselves in these cases due to the fact that pedestrians have the right-of-way on our roads. However, even so, pedestrians should always be aware of the fact that drivers will not always see when a pedestrian is crossing the road. This includes children, who are at particular risk.
Reasons Why Children Are Typically Injured in Pedestrian Accidents
The reason why pedestrian accidents need to be avoided is because children can suffer some of the most life-threatening injuries in one of these collisions. If a child is not tragically killed in one of these accidents, there is a chance that they will sustain permanent injuries that could follow them through life.
Here are some of the most common reasons why children are struck in pedestrian accidents:
- Children are commonly struck in accidents where a driver is coming out of a driveway and does not see a child who is attempting to get out of the way. In these cases, children tend to be struck by somebody that they know.
- Pedestrians, especially children, are struck commonly due to driver distractions or because the child is distracted at the time of the accident and is not paying attention to their surroundings.
- School zone accidents commonly take place when school is in because pedestrians are not always aware of their surroundings.
How a West Virginia Pedestrian Accident Attorney Can Help
Our attorneys at Katz, Kantor, Stonestreet & Buckner understand how difficult it can be to face the aftermath of a pedestrian accident on your own. This is why you need the experienced help of a car accident attorney who has handled these cases in the past and can assist you when it comes to your personal injury claim. Please reach out to us for the help you deserve during this difficult time at (304) 713-2014.