Common Causes of Pedestrian Injuries

If you are injured as a pedestrian in a motor vehicle accident, chances are good that your injuries will be severe, even if the motorist is traveling at a low rate of speed. Unfortunately, there are a whole lot of reasons why innocent pedestrians continue to suffer serious and catastrophic injury, or even death, at the hands of motor vehicle operators.

The Types of Negligence that Lead to Pedestrian Accidents

In most instances, pedestrian accidents occur when drivers are distracted. This can include talking on a cell phone, adjusting the radio or stereo, sending a text message while driving, or disciplining a child in the back seat. It can also involve looking at the landscape rather than paying attention to the road—looking for the entrance to a restaurant or gazing at a billboard. Many pedestrian accidents occur when drivers are distracted while backing out of a parking space or pulling out on to the road, as they tend to focus exclusively on motor vehicle traffic and ignore pedestrians who may be present.

Another common cause of pedestrian accidents stems from the failure to obey traffic laws or signals. This can include:

• Exceeding the posted speed limit, or driving too fast for conditions (if foggy, wet, icy or snowy)
• Failing to take appropriate measures to clean a window or windshield in snowy or icy weather, or negligence in replacing wiper blades
• Reckless or careless driving, illegally changing lanes or making improper U-turns
• Failing to stop at a red light or stop sign — Many drivers have adopted a rolling stop, often looking to their left when turning right, thereby failing to see pedestrians to their right
• School bus or school zone violations, where drivers do not stop or maintain proper distance

Contact the Law Office of Metzger & Kleiner

At Metzger & Kleiner, we provide a free initial consultation. To schedule an appointment with an experienced Philadelphia pedestrian injury lawyer, contact us by e-mail or call our office at 215-622-2210 in Philadelphia, 610-563-2186 in the Lehigh Valley, or toll free at 800-228-1760.

We take all pedestrian injury claims on a contingency basis. We won’t charge attorney fees unless we recover compensation for your losses.