Avoid A New Haven Pedestrian Accident By Being Predictable

The state of Connecticut has been facing an epidemic of fatalities that are occurring as the result of pedestrians being struck by motor vehicles. This issue has been taken up by the state legislature and has initiated multiple infrastructure projects throughout the state that are designed to remedy the situation. However, there are things you can do to avoid being involved in a New Haven pedestrian accident that don’t require an act of the legislature or any construction at all.

One of the first things you can do when you are planning to go out for a walk or a run is to know your route before you start out. This is one of the best things you can do so you are not fumbling with a navigation app or in an unfamiliar setting where you have to make split second decisions that could put you at risk of getting struck by a vehicle. If you know where your route will take you then you will be prepared to take the necessary steps to keep yourself safe.

It is also important, before you start out for your walk or run, that you wear the proper clothing to keep yourself visible on your trip. The proper clothing would include reflective gear that would make you extremely visible and would make you hard to miss by on-coming traffic. If you’d prefer not to wear reflective clothing you will still want to dress properly to keep yourself safe and visible. Brightly colored clothing will help keep you visible as vehicles pass you by. Colors you should avoid wearing include black and dark grays.

Once you’re out on your walk or run your focus should turn to making sure you are predictable in your movements. If you are unpredictable you will be putting yourself in a situation where vehicles are trying to guess where you will be going next and this will increase your likelihood of becoming injured or worse after being struck by a vehicle. There are a number of things you can do to make sure you are predictable to traffic including, but not limited to, the following;

1.) Always walk in a straight line. While this may not be possible 100% of the time, you should do your best to walk this way as often as you can. You should avoid making sudden changes in direction or weaving in and out of other pedestrian traffic or even vehicular traffic.

2.) Stay walking at the same pace whenever possible. Changing speeds and stopping or starting unexpectedly is one way to confuse drivers of vehicles that may come in contact with you. If you can maintain an expected speed you will be able to be predictable to the traffic you are sharing the roads with.

3.) Make eye contact with drivers. If you are going to be crossing at an intersection you will want to make sure you have connected with the on-coming vehicles. While you don’t need to stare them down, it is a good idea for you to make brief eye contact so you know that the driver sees you and can adjust their driving patterns accordingly.

4.) Cross at designated areas. Drivers are trained to expect pedestrian traffic at crosswalks or at intersections where there are lights indicating pedestrian traffic. You will make yourself very predictable by utilizing the designated areas that have already been assigned as a place that it is safer for you to cross as a pedestrian.

5.) Avoid distractions. If you’re looking down at your phone, even for a split second, your predictability will be compromised. Walking and being on your phone do not mix and they can cause you to suddenly change your path and also can put you at risk of tripping and falling into traffic which could be a very unpredictable behavior.

Being predictable is one of the best things you can do to avoid a New Haven pedestrian accident. With the steady rise in these types of accidents and fatalities arising from these types of accidents it is so important to have the tools necessary to keep yourself safe when you are traveling throughout the city and our state by foot. If you can learn to be predictable you can put yourself in a safe position to travel safely without fear of getting into an accident.

Of course accidents do occur and you should make sure if you do get injured that you speak to someone who has experience with your type of situation. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.