Why Are Roads So Dangerous for Pedestrians?
There are many causes leading to the dangers that roadways pose to pedestrians.
Large Vehicles
Pedestrian accidents happen more often with larger vehicles, such as vans, trucks, and SUVs. Larger vehicles tend to have less visibility and bigger blind spots than smaller cars. A driver might have a have a more difficult time spotting a pedestrian.
There are more large vehicles on the road than ever — pickup trucks and SUVs lead the country’s top-selling vehicles. With their larger size, accidents between large vehicles and pedestrians are often more severe, causing critical injuries.
Reckless Driving
Reckless driving takes many forms, including drinking, anxiety, distractions, speed, and more. Reckless drivers might miss a stop sign, not see a red light, or glance past a pedestrian already in the crosswalk, even if a flashing crosswalk light is present.
Reckless driving can be incredibly dangerous for pedestrians, even the most vigilant. And road safety experts say reckless driving behavior has increased thanks to the pandemic because drivers experienced less traffic congestion and traffic enforcement.
Improper Lane Use
Most pedestrian accidents occur on the road. Two-thirds of these accidents occur on city streets. One example would be a bicyclist using the sidewalk rather than the road, causing the pedestrian to jump out of the way into the road. As a pedestrian, you should always be aware of your surroundings.
Left Hand Turns
While crossing in a crosswalk is typically safer, cars turning left while a pedestrian is in the crosswalk results in an accident more often than right-hand turns. This often occurs because pedestrians and drivers pay attention in different directions, not noticing the other party.
Dark Clothing
Most pedestrian accidents occur at night. It can be challenging for drivers to see pedestrians in crosswalks or on the side of the road after the sun goes down. It’s especially true when streets are poorly lighted, or pedestrians are dressed in dark clothes. Pedestrians can try to protect themselves by wearing light-colored or reflective clothing when walking after dusk.
Electronic Use
The increase in use of electronic devices while driving has contributed to more pedestrian accidents. This, however, falls on pedestrians, too. Pedestrians are walking around while using their phones and not paying attention to the cars, bicycles, and other people around them. They may have earbuds in, causing them to have difficulty hearing cars or horns in their vicinity.
Quiet Cars
While newer, quiet cars may be fabulous for minimizing noise pollution in cities, it is terrible for protecting pedestrians. Combined with electronic use, large vehicles, and distracted driving, the lack of noise from quiet cars increases the severity of pedestrian accidents.
