According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), nearly 5,000 pedestrians die annually in accidents involving motor vehicles. While there are many possible causes of a pedestrian accident, negligence can be found on the part of either the driver of the vehicle or the pedestrian him or herself. A pedestrian, however, is much more vulnerable than the driver of a vehicle in any accident because he/she is unprotected by the body and the safety devices of a motor vehicle. If you’ve hit a pedestrian and this pedestrian simply walked away without exchanging contact information with you even though you offered to do so, it may be wise to consult with a New York pedestrian accident lawyer.
Report It Anyway
Drivers of motor vehicles have a legal duty to exercise caution when driving so that they do not injure others. They also have a legal duty to remain at the site of any accident that they’re involved with and to exchange contact information with the other party or parties. If this duty is breached, the driver can be found negligent and may face criminal or civil charges, or even both. If you hit a pedestrian, as a driver, your duty is to stop and offer to render aid to the pedestrian, to make a police report, and to remain at the site of the accident until help arrives. You should also notify the insurance company. If the pedestrian walks away, you should still do the same thing. Let the police know what happened so that they can include this information in their report. The pedestrian may opt to sue you later if he/she finds that there are injuries whose symptoms did not show immediately after the accident. If you leave the scene, you could face criminal charges.
Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
There are many possible causes of accidents in which pedestrians are injured but perhaps one of the most common is distracted driving. Everyone is rushed nowadays and many are much too preoccupied with their smart phones or other digital devices. Speeding and failing to signal when turning are other possible causes. Drivers must also remember to yield the right of way to pedestrians at crosswalks, and pedestrians should be careful to cross the road in a designated area whenever possible and obey all traffic signals.
Call to Schedule a Free Consultation with a New York Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Today
Personal injury and pedestrian accident lawyers at Littman & Babiarz Law Office have been helping those with traffic accident injuries in central New York for over 30 years. We have Law offices in Auburn and Ithaca NY, and look forward to supporting clients throughout Lansing, Watkins Glen, Owego, Elmira and surrounding Tomkins County, Seneca County, Cayuga County, Cortland County, Schuyler County, Chemung County, Tioga County, Yates County, Onondaga County and Broome County communities. If you’ve been involved in a pedestrian accident, Get in touch with us online or call us at 607-277-7527 regarding your free initial consultation today.