Avoiding a Washington, D. C., Pedestrian Accident Starts in Your Own Neighborhood

Some of the most devastating car accidents involve pedestrian injuries and fatalities, and these accidents are on the rise in Washington, D.C. With heavy traffic and distracted drivers, it seems like an uphill battle to keep pedestrians safe.

In most news stories involving pedestrian injuries and fatalities, the driver is clearly at fault, whether it is because of drugs, alcohol, or distractions. In these cases, it is generally very easy to place full liability on the driver. On the rare instance that the pedestrian is partially or even fully to blame, the case becomes much more difficult to prove.

The primary problem in cases which find the pedestrian at fault is that there are often more factors at play than simply a careless pedestrian. Many metropolitan and busy suburban areas have sidewalks and roads that are not pedestrian-friendly. This can be seen in many different examples throughout many towns — a lack of clearly marked crosswalks, dangerous or absent sidewalks, and properly operating traffic signals.

Will Your Neighborhood Host The Next Pedestrian Fatality Or Injury?

Take a walk around your neighborhood and look at it with a critic’s eye. Are your sidewalks in good condition? Is it easy to cross the road safely? Are there a lot of obstacles that prevent you from seeing traffic clearly — or, more important, that prevent traffic from seeing you?

Knowing the answers to these questions is paramount in protecting you now and in the future, should you be injured in a pedestrian accident. Something that could seem like your fault as the pedestrian could be a problem that is attributable to poor maintenance or city planning.

Do not feel helpless if you know that your neighborhood falls far short of where it should be. Petitioning your city or county can go a long way, especially if your neighbors have noticed the same problems. Alerting your local media can help push your local government to take action to improve pedestrian safety.

Protect Your Rights In A D.C. Or Bethesda Pedestrian Accident

While you can lend a hand in helping to make your hometown safer for pedestrians, it is not your responsibility to pick up the pieces if a negligent driver injures you while you are walking. If you or a loved one has been injured by a car while walking or biking, contact the Bethesda pedestrian accident attorneys at Lewis & Tompkins today. The experienced team of personal injury attorneys will make sure that you are compensated fully — call for a free consultation now at 202-296-0666.