In 2019, the GHSA (or Governors Highway Safety Administration) found that there were 6590 pedestrian fatalities that year, the highest the fatality rate had been in 30 years. As the likelihood of pedestrian accidents grows with this statistic, it’s important people know the facts about these events so they know how to avoid them or respond to them should they occur.
But what are these facts? And how will they help you avoid these tragedies?
Well, you’ve come to the right place. We’re here to break down the top 5 important pedestrian injury facts you should know! So without further ado, let’s take a look at it.
Timing and Pedestrian Injuries
It turns out there’s a lot of correlation between certain times of the day and when pedestrian accidents are more likely to occur. Most accidents occur at night as opposed to daytime: this can be attributed to decreased visibility and the increased chance of substance abuse behind the wheel. After all, more people will get drunk after work heading home than before work.
What’s more, the timing changes based on the season. In the fall and winter, most accidents occur around 6 pm to 8 pm range. In the spring and summer, this changes to the 9 pm to 12 am range.
Even the days of the week see specific spikes. The highest frequency days are Friday and Saturday, with Thursday and Sunday coming close.
Location and Pedestrian Injuries
The location also plays a big part in where accidents occur. Due to the increased volume of traffic, urban areas are more prone to accidents than rural ones. Also, most accidents happen at roads without intersections due to the lack of guided flow for the traffic.
The type of vehicle that’s popular in an area is also a point of interest. While standard cars cause the most accidents, pickup trucks sit right behind them in the rankings.
That said, the larger the vehicle, the higher chance there is of the accident becoming lethal. SUVs, for instance, possess raised bumpers that hit you more upwards on your body, increasing the chance you are knocked down under the wheels as opposed to rolling off the hood and landing away from the car.
Age and Gender
For gender ratios, men are at greater risk of getting involved in a pedestrian accident than women. Age-wise, children under 14 face the most accidents, followed by those in the 20-24 age range.
Illegal Substance Use
A large percentage of pedestrian accidents are attributed to either illegal substance use (heavy drugs) or over-consumption of a different substance (alcohol). This applies to either the driver or the pedestrian too: not all of these incidents are caused by drunk driving alone.
What You Can Do
To help reduce your risk factor, it’s important to know the risks you face every day of getting involved in a pedestrian accident. Getting complacent dulls your senses, and makes you more likely to try risky maneuvers than you otherwise would.
Another helpful trick is to stay away from alcohol when you know you’re going to travel and to make sure you know the meaning of every road sign. It sounds obvious, but sometimes the failure to understand a road sign leads to either the driver or pedestrian making a dangerous move the other wasn’t prepared for.
It’s important to try to break out of a mentality of herd behavior. If someone crosses the sidewalk early even when oncoming traffic has a green light, following them with the assumption traveling in a group makes you safe is a dangerous and semi-illogical line of thought.
Finally, if you do get involved in an accident, it’s important to find a law firm you trust to provide you the legal protection you need.
A Safer Tomorrow
And there you have it! Now that you have these 5 facts on pedestrian injuries, you’re ready to help practice safe procedures that will lower the rate of pedestrian accidents. And for more information on staying safe in these uncertain times, make sure to check out the other articles on our blog!