Individuals at Risk for Pedestrian Accidents in Aurora

While pedestrian accidents could happen to anyone, there are certain people who are more at-risk than others. Individuals at risk for pedestrian accidents in Aurora include tourists, children, and, the elderly. If you have been injured while crossing the street, speak with a skilled pedestrian accident lawyer. A capable pedestrian crash attorney could devote the time and resources necessary to achieve a positive outcome for you.

Children in Pedestrian Accidents

Individuals at risk for pedestrian accidents in Aurora include children. Children can be involved in pedestrian accidents because they are not allowed to drive. They cannot drive and generally walk with their friends. As children, they may not understand the potential threat of a two-ton vehicle driving down the road and because of that, they tend to be more involved in these types of collisions.

Regardless of their age, children know how to use the cell phone or electronic device and that can take their attention away from what is going on in the road. A child-related pedestrian accident differs from an adult related pedestrian accident in the sense that it is difficult to prove a child was negligent. A child does not know right from wrong but in the eyes of the law, there is a cut off on when someone can be held liable for their actions.

Risk Factors for Teens

Teens are one of the groups of individuals at risk for pedestrian accidents in Aurora is vulnerable when it comes to pedestrian accidents. If a teen is walking, they may have their earbuds in and are not paying attention to what is happening. They are not inclined to be aware of their surroundings. The music is loud in their ears and they are not paying attention. A collision can be avoided if the teen pedestrian is paying attention to the roadway.

There is often more than one person in the teen’s car. The music is blaring, they might be eating, or they might be on Facebook, Twitter, or Snapchat. They are distracted behind the wheel and the pedestrian is distracted. There are two distracted people on the road and the pedestrian always loses in that scenario.

The teen must be conscious of the surrounding area, the crosswalk legends, normal traffic patterns, and the weather conditions. They should know if they are jaywalking and where the traffic is heavily monitored. A teen driver is not as equipped with information that someone has when they are a more experienced driver.

Why the Elderly Are Susceptible to Pedestrian Accidents

Of all of the individuals at risk for pedestrian accidents in Aurora, the elderly are the most susceptible to being hurt. The elderly have more health and mobility issues. A typical injury that might not affect a younger person can affect an older person more seriously. Any contact with a motorized vehicle is severe to the elderly, if not fatal. An elder person is more likely to be hit by a vehicle in Aurora because they are more susceptible to being hit. They walk more slowly and may be using a cane or some type of walking aid. This causes drivers to miscalculate how fast the person is walking. A driver is usually too late to stop the vehicle before striking the elderly person.

Unfortunately, as people age, their reaction time and the way they process things, takes longer. An elderly person may see something about to happen but it may take longer for them to react to that situation. A younger person can avoid that situation or may not even be in that situation. For instance, they are trying to walk in the crosswalk and can just run to the end of the crosswalk and forego any issues that may happen. When an elderly person tries to cross a crosswalk and they cannot get to the other side in time, there is no way for them to hurry up and run if a driver runs a red light or someone is not paying attention and makes a turn that becomes a serious threat to the elderly person.

Avoiding Traffic Accidents

One way that individuals can avoid accidents is by behaving in a responsible manner. It is when pedestrians behave foolishly that they trigger aggressive driving habits. They walk in the middle of a roadway and a driver can get more erratic and aggressive. A driver might think that all of those people should not be in the middle of the roadway, they should in the crosswalk. People should also avoid texting, or looking at their phones while crossing the street. They should also make sure that the roads are clear while they cross. If individuals at risk for pedestrian accidents in Aurora take precautions, they could avoid getting into accidents. If someone gets into an accident despite following these precautions, they should consult a pedestrian accident lawyer that could help them hold the negligent driver accountable.