No matter what role you are playing in traffic, it is imperative to give traveling your full attention. In a world of distracted drivers—as well as pedestrians and everyone else—accidents happen all too easily, and often they could be so easily prevented. Distracted drivers cause accidents that kill thousands each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. While motorists talking on their phones account for far too many distracted driving incidents, texting is a serious problem too, along with other cell phone issues such as surfing the net and fiddling with navigational applications.

There are also a host of other activities that cause many motorists to be doing nearly everything but giving their attention to driving, whether they are eating, drinking, adjusting other electronics, or engaging with passengers. Unfortunately, this is all too obvious if you stop to look around at what other drivers are doing at red lights, or if you take some time out as a pedestrian to see what motorists are doing in traffic—and this includes negligent driving behavior at crosswalks, where hundreds of pedestrians are killed each year. And while many of these accidents are undoubtedly caused by drivers who were not paying attention, there are other reasons crosswalks can be such a dangerous place for pedestrians:

• Motorists may be driving too fast, as well as making quick turns
• Drivers are not aware of the traffic rules or ignore them
• Pedestrians may be ‘jaywalking’ and not following the signals

Other factors may come into play at different times of day too, when traffic is extremely congested, weather is poor, or visibility is low. The general rule should be for everyone to practice extreme caution in areas where there are traffic lights and crosswalks. According to the CDC, pedestrians are one and half more times likely to be killed in traffic than those traveling in cars. Their statistics for 2015 showed that 5,376 pedestrians were killed, while 129,000 were injured. CDC data also shows that of those deaths, 19 percent of the individuals were seniors, while one in five were children under 15 years old. Nearly half of the accidents involved alcohol somehow, and excessive speed was often to blame too.

If you or a loved one have been injured as a pedestrian due to the negligence of others, contact the attorneys at Heintz Law. We’ve helped victims from Bradenton, Sarasota, and all over Florida get compensation for their damages and medical expenses after accidents. Call us for a free consultation now at 941-748-2916 or contact us online. We are here to help!