As the weather starts to warm up, more Dallas residents will be outdoors walking, running and biking. This means there will be a higher chance of Dallas pedestrian accidents, which occur more often than you would think. Between 2001 and 2009, there were 522 pedestrian deaths in Dallas county. To help protect you and your loved ones from pedestrian accidents, here are five pedestrian safety tips:
- Cross the street only at designated crosswalks: It’s important to remember that if you jaywalk and are hit by a vehicle, the driver most likely will not be at fault since you weren’t crossing at a designated crosswalk. Even if it takes a few extra minutes to find a crosswalk, it’s worth it to protect your life and the lives of others.
- Keep observing vehicles when you walk across the street: You know that you should look both ways before crossing the street, but while you are walking across, you should also keep an eye on the cars around you to make sure drivers see you and aren’t going to turn or keep going and cause a pedestrian accident.
- Wear brightly colored clothing: Many pedestrian accidents occur at night because drivers didn’t see the person crossing the street since they were wearing dark clothing. Try to wear white or bright colors, especially if you choose to walk around at night.
- Walk facing traffic: Especially if there are no sidewalks available, it’s vital to walk facing traffic, so you watch cars and see what they are doing. This increases your chance of moving quickly to avoid a pedestrian accident.
- Be wary: When you are walking around streets or busy highways, never expect that drivers will see you or that they will follow traffic laws. It’s best to try to make eye contact as much as possible with drivers so you know that they see you.
If you or a loved one were the victim of a Dallas pedestrian accident, you deserve justice and compensation for your emotional and physical trauma. Contact the Law Offices of W.T. Johnson today and set-up your free, no-obligation consultation.
