The hiring of a personal driver is the safest thing for pedestrians during a visit to Dubai. The CDC reports that in 2017, there was one pedestrian fatality caused by an over-motivated driver every 88 minutes in the United States. That's a sad total of 5,977 for the year. As of this year, 6,205 pedestrians have lost their lives. According to the CDC, pedestrians have around 1.5 times higher fatality rates in car accidents than people who are actually riding in vehicles. This makes perfect sense when you think about how the car itself and maybe other safety measures in the car protect the people within.
However, pedestrians who are involved in car accidents often suffer serious and even life-altering injuries, even if the crash itself does not result in death. Pedestrian accidents resulting in minor injuries rather than fatalities are also extremely common. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that in 2017, around 137,000 pedestrians were treated in emergency rooms after being hit by cars.
Consider the repercussions for drivers if they are found guilty in an accident involving a pedestrian, and see if the numbers on injuries to pedestrians don't make you think twice. To injure another person, or even worse, to be responsible for another person's unjust death, is something no one ever wants to do. But these cases are often heard in civil courts. By taking precautions, drivers can reduce the likelihood of pedestrians being injured or killed and reduce the likelihood of legal action against them.
What factors lead to pedestrians being involved in accidents?
The aforementioned numbers indicate a continuing issue in the United States. However, it is a problem that may be solved via more vigilance, education, and focus on safety. Drivers can significantly impact pedestrian safety since they provide such a significant threat to those on foot. Yet how?
The first stage is gaining awareness of the causes of pedestrian-vehicle collisions. In each case, drivers' responses have the potential to determine whether or not there is a fatality.
The most typical causes of pedestrian-car collisions are as follows:
According to the CDC, over half of all pedestrian fatalities in car accidents in 2017 involved alcohol use, either by the driver or the pedestrian. Intoxication on the part of a pedestrian (.08 BAC or higher) was a factor in 33% of these collisions, whereas intoxication on the part of a driver was a factor in 17%. Intoxicated people have impaired judgement, making them more prone to engage in risky actions like jaywalking (pedestrians) or speeding (drivers) (drivers).
One out of every five children under the age of 15 killed in traffic incidents in 2017 were pedestrians, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the CDC, pedestrians aged 65 and over accounted for 20% of all pedestrian deaths and 10% of all pedestrian injuries in 2014.
Acceleration to high speeds
• Locations in the city
It's dangerous to drive at night
The responsibility of drivers in pedestrian safety
Clearly, automobile drivers are not always to blame when pedestrians are hurt. A motorist has no control over whether or not a pedestrian may unexpectedly cross the street in the middle of the road. Although pedestrians are more vulnerable in the event of an accident, drivers can take many precautions to lessen the severity of any potential injuries. You should always follow the advice below when you get behind the wheel, in addition to the rules mentioned in the driving education programme that permitted you to receive your license.
Advice for drivers to keep pedestrians safe
Please do not combine alcohol and driving.
It's against the law and extremely risky for you and other pedestrians. Keep in mind that alcohol plays a role in about half of all vehicle-pedestrian collisions.
Keep your attention on the road.
Today, distracted driving seems to be widespread. Drivers regularly claim to engaging in actions like texting, selecting music, and more while driving due to the prevalence of cell phones, increasing traffic, and longer commutes. For the sake of everyone on the road, you should avoid doing anything that can cause you to take your eyes off the road, even for a split second.
Don't break the speed limit.
According to the CDC, faster vehicle speeds raise the possibility of a collision with a pedestrian and the severity of any resulting injuries. Avoiding speeding can help keep pedestrians safe.
If you're in a dangerous position, take extra precautions.
While it is true that avoiding drinking, distractions, and speeding are the absolute minimums for safe driving, improving pedestrian safety also requires taking extra precautions in high-risk areas. The following are some of them:
Areas where children are more likely to be pedestrians, such as school and residential zones
Locations with a high concentration of elderly pedestrians, such as neighbourhoods surrounding nursing homes
• In the city
• Late at night, particularly in locations with few or no crossroads and/or inadequate lighting.
• When visibility is low due to bad weather
• Don't pass a car that's stopped at a crossing, for instance. It's possible that there is a pedestrian crossing in front of the car that you are unable to see.
For additional information on protecting pedestrians, see this document (PDF) from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
All drivers are also pedestrians.
Everyone, as the NHTSA constantly stresses, is a pedestrian. Therefore, the protection of pedestrians is a top priority for everyone. The choices you make as a motorist have the potential to save a life, as well as spare you the anguish of knowing you were responsible for an avoidable accident that caused harm to a pedestrian and their loved ones. Everyone wins when pedestrian safety is a team effort.
