Common Pedestrian Accidents in Cherry Hill

Fact patterns unique to pedestrian accidents typically involve intersectional accidents where individuals who are trying to cross the road, whether it be with a light or specific indication that they are permitted to cross, get into accidents with motor vehicles who fail to yield to people on foot.

Other common pedestrian accidents in Cherry Hill include when a motorist is distracted or not following the traffic control devices at that time. Consult with a pedestrian accident attorney if you have been injured due to another’s negligence in a pedestrian accident.

Pedestrian Accidents Involving Children

Unfortunately, a large majority of pedestrian accident cases involve children. Depending on the age of the child, their judgment may not be as good as an adult’s. They often do not know the majority of the rules and are not as careful when crossing roadways, leading to many avoidable accidents.

However, it is important to analyze what the at-fault driver was doing at the time of the accident. If that driver was distracted, was driving at an excessive speed, or was in an area where they should not have been, damages can be pursued. When an individual is driving by a playground, for instance, drivers should have a heightened awareness or take reasonable steps to protect the people, especially the children, in the roadway.

Risk of Teen Accidents

Teens crossing a roadway are at risk because of drivers not yielding to the traffic control signals, and/or drivers who are distracted. Even though a teen crossing a roadway on foot may have the right of way, they need to be alert for drivers not yielding the right of way, or drivers making turns into their path where they are walking.

Even though they may have the right of way, teens cannot assume that a car is going to stop because the light is red or because they have the crosswalk sign alerting them to do so. It is critical for anyone traveling on foot to remain vigilant and aware of their surroundings, especially at intersections and crosswalks.

Elderly Pedestrians

Elderly individuals have an increased risk of being involved in pedestrian accidents because they may not move as fast across the roadway as a younger person. By the time they get across the crosswalk, the signals could have changed, putting them at an increased risk of injury. This is a common issue in pedestrian accidents in Cherry Hill.

Additionally, elderly people who may have limited eyesight or other dulled senses may not able to see or hear a vehicle coming in time to protect themselves. This is why anybody who is operating a motor vehicle has to realize they have a duty to pedestrians, and anytime they approach or cross an intersection, they have to be very mindful of anyone on foot. They must be at a heightened alert when they see an elderly person attempting to cross a roadway.

Aggressive Driving Habits

At times, with sporting events, there may be groups of pedestrians crossing the road and not listening to the traffic signals simply because they think the vehicles will see their group and stop.

In those types of circumstances, the group of pedestrians may trigger drivers to get aggressive to try to get through the group because they have the right of way. Unfortunately, injuries can result from this common type of pedestrian accident in Cherry Hill.