When pedestrians navigate the sidewalks and streets of communities across the city of St. Petersburg, they are at risk of being injured. Even though municipalities take all kinds of precautions to protect the safety of their constituents, pedestrian accidents happen. If you are hit by a vehicle as a pedestrian, you have no protection. As such, accidents can be quite devastating for the victims. If you or a loved one has sustained injuries in an accident and are now saddled with physical, financial, and/or emotional burdens, please read on, then contact an experienced St. Petersburg pedestrian accident attorney to learn what you should know about pedestrian accidents in Florida.
What are the leading causes of pedestrian accidents in Florida?
The causes of pedestrian accidents are many and varied, but some of the most common are as follows:
- Incorrect perception of risk: Drivers do not often take pedestrian safety into consideration when they engage in unsafe driving behaviors. Familiarity with travel routes, alcohol and cell phone usage impairs a driver’s ability to recognize the risk of colliding with a pedestrian.
- Vehicle speed: When drivers speed, that reduces the time they have to react. Even in the absence of other conditions, speeding can lead to devastating injuries.
- Traffic volume: The greater the number of vehicles on the road and pedestrians in the street, such as happens in the spring and summer, the higher the risk for collision.
- Vehicle type: The biggest the vehicle, the longer it takes to fully stop and the greater the damage it inflicts on pedestrians.
- Distracted driving: Failing to check blind spots, running red lights and other dangerous actions can lead drivers to hit pedestrians.
- The physical environment: Inadequate crossing devices, lack of midblock crosswalks, road width, poor timing, poor sidewalk conditions, absence of sidewalks and limited sidewalk capacity – all can result in pedestrians sustaining debilitating injuries.
No matter who hit you, when they hit you, what injuries you incurred or how you incurred them, you should reach out to one of our skilled St. Petersburg motor vehicle accident attorneys to discuss your next steps. They will fight to make sure all of the negligent parties – individual, corporate and municipal – are held accountable for their dangerous conduct and forced to pay you the compensation you deserve. Do not go it alone. Please give us a call today.
Contact our experienced St. Petersburg firm
Our firm understands the repercussions of a serious accident. If you are injured due to another party’s negligence, you should not have to fight the uphill battle for financial compensation on your own. When you hire one of our attorneys, you are hiring a devoted, caring, and aggressive attorney who will tenaciously fight for your rights. If you or someone you know was injured in an accident and wishes to schedule a consultation, please do not hesitate to contact the Youngblood Law Firm today.