Three Things You Can Do To Avoid A New Haven Pedestrian Accident

A recent incident on the streets of New Haven involving a critically injured pedestrian who was struck by a vehicle is a good reminder that there is responsibility for safety with both the driver of a vehicle and the pedestrian that is sharing the road with motor vehicles.  If responsibility is not held by both parties then there is a greater likelihood that a New Haven pedestrian accident may occur.

Today we are going to take a look at the pedestrian side of the equation and what the above incident and others like it can tell us about how to avoid an accident when spending time on foot in the Elm City.  There is an epidemic of pedestrian accidents throughout the state so it is important that we take these examples, tragic as they may be, and learn lessons from them so these mistakes don’t get made again.

If you are heading out for a walk or a run and you want to remain safe you should take some of the tips below to make sure you are doing everything you can to put yourself in a position to make it to your destination while avoiding harm.

1.) Try your best to avoid walking/running at night, especially after dark.  The incident above happened after midnight and most pedestrian accidents, especially those that result in fatalities happen after dark.  If you can avoid being out once the sun goes down you will be putting yourself in the best position possible to not get injured in an accident of this sort.

2.) Wear brightly colored clothing or reflective tape on your clothes.  A key to keeping yourself safe when you’re walking or running in the city is to be able to be seen.  Wearing dark or dreary clothing is one way to make it difficult on the drivers you are sharing the road with to see you and in turn will make it difficult for them to avoid you when they drive up on you and see you at the last second.  Reflective tape or reflective clothing are the best defense against this type of situation, but you can also accomplish virtually the same thing by wearing brightly colored clothes.

3.) Always cross at crosswalks or intersections where there are lights and obey the street signals.  In the above incident, the pedestrian who was injured was crossing near a crosswalk, but not on the crosswalk.  She was entering the intersection at an odd angle which made her more difficult to see and resulted in the accident.  When you are crossing a street, especially a busy one, using a marked intersection is one of the best things you can do to avoid getting into an accident.

Avoiding a New Haven pedestrian accident is the responsibility of both pedestrians and motorists alike.  If you take the proper precautions you will be putting yourself in a position to stay safe while also enjoying the city.  As the weather begins to warm it will be more comfortable to head outside for a walk or a run and if you do so safely you will be able to make it safely through the seasons.

If you do get injured you may need to speak with an attorney.  Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you on protecting your long-term interests.  Our attorneys have worked on a variety of different scenarios and have experience with all sorts of situations.