Of all the many types of motor vehicle accidents, few are quite as deadly as pedestrian accidents. These accidents involve a motor vehicle, such as a car or truck, colliding with a pedestrian, often resulting in severe injury or death to the person who was struck. Here are seven risk factors that contribute to the likelihood of pedestrian accidents:

  1. Driving at night
    • Pedestrians are disproportionately likely to be injured at night in an auto accident compared to during the day. This is due to reduced visibility, which makes it more likely that a vehicle will not see a pedestrian until it is too late to avoid an accident. 
  2. Bad weather
    • Poor visibility is also a major factor during bad weather, with rain, fog, and snow all potentially contributing to pedestrian accidents. This kind of weather can also make the road slick with water or ice, increasing the odds that a driver will lose control of their vehicle and collide with a pedestrian.
  3. Ignoring the right of way
    • Pedestrians almost always have the right of way at an intersection, meaning they have the right to cross first before any other vehicle save for emergency vehicles. When motorists fail to yield the right of way, it increases the chance of a potentially deadly accident.
  4. Poor maintenance
    • In order for a vehicle to have the best chance to brake or maneuver to avoid a collision with a pedestrian, it needs to be well-maintained. However, poor maintenance may result in a mechanical failure, which may make an accident unavoidable.
  5. Distracted driving
    • Texting and driving, along with other forms of distracted driving, are serious problems commonly seen in pedestrian accidents. The reason for this is simple: distracted drivers will fail to notice a pedestrian in the road until it is too late to stop or get out of the way.
  6. Aggressive driving
    • As a general rule, the more aggressively someone drives, the more likely they are to cause an accident. This is because they are more likely to speed, turn without signaling, or engage in other risky behaviors that increase the risks of pedestrian accidents.
  7. Drunk driving
    • Drunk drivers are always some of the most dangerous drivers on the road, both to themselves and others. The combination of worse reflexes, worse judgment, and a lack of motor control makes drunk drivers much more likely to cause pedestrian accidents.

If you have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, you should contact the Tennessee personal injury lawyers at the Keith Williams Law Group. With convenient offices located in Nashville and Lebanon, our lawyers will work with you to create a litigation strategy that protects your legal rights and serves your personal needs. For more information or a free consultation, please contact us at 615-444-2900 or visit our contact page.