Why Pedestrians Are at an Increased Risk of Severe Injuries

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Arkansas, like many other states in the U.S., has seen a rise in pedestrian accidents over the past decade. These accidents often lead to serious injuries that alter the lives of pedestrians.

In 2022, over 67,000 pedestrians were injured across the United States. Unfortunately, these numbers just keep rising. Pedestrians, unlike people in vehicles, are more vulnerable during accidents.

Such accidents often cause serious damage; luckily, victims can find some relief through monetary compensation. If a pedestrian is injured by a vehicle in Arkansas, they must hire an Arkansas pedestrian accident lawyer. This legal professional can provide guidance throughout the claims process, ensuring fair compensation.

This blog explores the various reasons why pedestrians are vulnerable to severe injuries.

Lack of Physical Protection

The first and the most obvious reason pedestrians have a higher risk of severe injuries is that, unlike people in vehicles, they do not have protective gear and equipment to soften the blow. They are also likely to have secondary impacts like falling on the ground or getting thrown into other objects such as walls, other vehicles, or poles. Depending on the size and speed of the vehicle, the impact of the accident differs.

When a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle, their body takes on the full impact of the accident, possibly injuring vital parts of their body. Such injuries may lead to life-altering injuries such as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal injuries, or even cause death.

Urban Infrastructure and Road Design

Let’s face it, the U.S. is not particularly safe for pedestrians. Most roads in the country have been designed to primarily accommodate vehicles. The lack of infrastructural planning, such as poorly designed crosswalks, a lack of pedestrian zones, etc., leaves pedestrians vulnerable on the road.

There is also a lack of maintenance issues, such as poorly lit roads, which make it hard for vehicles to see pedestrians clearly on the road, increasing the risk of accidents. Many roads that often experience high traffic often lack calming measures to keep pedestrians safe, such as speed bumps and pedestrian bridges.

Though it may seem challenging, taking active measures to ensure pedestrian safety can create an overall safer road condition.

Driver and Pedestrian Behavior

Let’s look at some instances of driver and pedestrian negligence that lead to accidents that cause severe injuries.

Distracted Driving:Distracted driving is one of the most common causes of accidents in the United States. Distraction can be of various types:
Cognitive: Zoning out, drowsiness, etc.
Visual: Checking phone, looking at billboards, etc.
Manual: Eating, adjusting GPS, etc.
Reckless Driving: When a driver performs dangerous driving maneuvers, such as weaving across the traffic or taking reckless turns at intersections, they could fail to notice a passing pedestrian and cause an accident
Failure to Yield:The driver must follow the laws and allow pedestrians to cross the road at pedestrian crossings. If they fail to yield at such locations, the risk of colliding with a pedestrian increases.

Jaywalking:Even though it is a crime, pedestrians often ignore traffic signals and cross the road, ignoring the rules. Now, this maneuver doesn’t always have tragic outcomes, but the risk of an accident is always present.
Distracted Walking:People often walk around with music blasting in their ears, ignoring that their awareness decreases the minute they put on their headphones, making them unable to take quick action to protect themselves in case of an accident. Even if they do not put on music, activities such as looking at their phone, talking without paying attention to the road, etc., are all risky.
Misjudging Vehicle Speed:Pedestrians need to take actions, like crossing the road, by judging the oncoming vehicles’ speed. Assuming that the vehicle will stop immediately is risky, as vehicles, especially speeding vehicles, will have difficulties stopping the vehicle immediately, increasing the chances of an accident.

Age and Physical Vulnerability

Studies show that individuals under the age of 10 and over the age of 65 are more vulnerable to severe injuries during accidents. Due to their slow reflexes and significantly vulnerable bodies, the impact of an accident can be much more than a person in their 20s or 30s would have. Aside from physical vulnerability, judging the distance and speed of an oncoming vehicle could also be difficult for them, especially for young children.