Pedestrian Safety and Car Crashes: Understanding the Risks and Preventative Measures
Pedestrian safety is a concern everywhere, but it’s particularly important in the United States. While many other countries have done well in making their communities walkable and safe for pedestrians, the United States is still very car-centric. As a result, pedestrians are at risk of injury even when they go for a casual walk.
There’s a lot yet to do to make South Carolina as safe as possible for pedestrians and bicyclists. Learn more about pedestrian accidents, and if you’ve been hurt in a crash, call Peake & Fowler at 803-788-4370.
South Carolina Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrians are among the most vulnerable users of our walkways and roadways, and as such, drivers should take special care when navigating around them. Unfortunately, many drivers do not—as a result, there are preventable fatalities and injuries every single year in South Carolina.
Per the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, one pedestrian is killed every 1.9 days in this state. Fatal collisions have increased in recent years, jumping from 145 in 2016 to 186 in 2020. Crashes causing serious injuries have also climbed significantly, although total crashes did decrease from 2019 to 2020. As newer data becomes available, it will be easier to see whether that was a temporary change due to the pandemic.
October, November, December, and January are the months with the highest pedestrian accident numbers. The age group at greatest risk of collision is those aged 25 to 54, and most people who were hit by a vehicle were walking, playing, or entering an intersection when they were struck.
Factors Contributing to Collisions
A number of factors contribute to accidents. Driver error is an incredibly common cause of collisions—while drivers do learn the basics of pedestrian safety in driving school, it’s something that is often downplayed or forgotten once a driver gets comfortable. It’s especially challenging for someone who moves from an area with low foot traffic to an area that’s known for its walkability, as adjusting their driving habits to prioritize pedestrian safety may be difficult.
Drivers may forget to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks or intersections. They are also prone to speeding, which makes it hard to stop in time when a pedestrian crosses their path. Another significant factor in collisions is distracted driving.
Distracted driving has become a rampant problem in recent years, thanks to the appeal of smartphones. Drivers with their eyes on their phones instead of the road are more likely to hit a pedestrian, simply because they aren’t paying enough attention to see when one crosses their path.
Pedestrian error is another common issue. While a lot of pedestrians’ safety rests in drivers’ hands, they must also take control of their own walking habits and do what they can to make themselves visible to drivers. Pedestrians who step out in front of vehicles without giving them time to stop, fail to use marked crosswalks, or walk while distracted have contributed to numerous accidents.
How to Improve Pedestrian Safety
There are many ways that we can make pedestrians safer. Change must happen at individual, community-wide, and nationwide levels. Educational efforts that teach pedestrians how to limit their risks are crucial, as are programs that teach drivers what it actually means to drive safely around walkers and bicyclists.
A growing number of vehicles are equipped with advanced driver assistance systems that strive to reduce accident numbers and injuries. Many of these systems detect when there is an obstacle in a car’s path and forcibly stop the vehicle if a driver does not react in time.
Smart crosswalks have also popped up in communities across the United States. These crosswalks respond to either the weight of a pedestrian or the push of a button. When activated, the crosswalk flashes lights in both directions to alert oncoming vehicles to the presence of a pedestrian.
Hurt in a Crash? Call Peake & Fowler Today
If you or someone you love has been injured in a pedestrian accident, don’t wait to find out if you are entitled to compensation. Discuss your options with our team now. Call the Columbia pedestrian accident lawyers of Peake & Fowler at 803-788-4370 or send us a message online to get started.
