Can pedestrians ever be responsible for traffic accidents? The real answer is: Almost never. Still, there are cases where pedestrians can be held responsible, even if they are rare. After all, most cases involving traffic accidents that involve pedestrians end up always benefiting the pedestrian and not the motorist.
Still, there are many pedestrians who often ignore road rules, signs, and even coming cars when they should not be crossing because they are distracted by their phones.
Many drivers will tell you that they have, at least once, nearly hit someone because the pedestrian was distracted with something on his or her phone at any given time.
On different occasions, pedestrians may be trying to cross the street while intoxicated and drivers may not be able to slow down or stop the car in time to avoid a collision. Because alcohol or drugs impair the pedestrian’s motor skills and judgment, making it difficult for them to judge whether they should be crossing or waiting until it’s their turn. These cases, drivers can sincerely say that pedestrians showed “out of nowhere,” putting themselves in danger. In those cases, drivers panic and they may hit the pedestrian because they are unable to slow down, or they may swerve into traffic, crashing into other vehicles, or they may brake hard, allowing vehicles following behind to rear-end them.
Because there’s a misconception that pedestrians always have the right to cross the road and that vehicles must always stop for them, no matter what, many accidents can happen. So instead of thinking that you’re always safe as a pedestrian no matter what, remember that regardless of how pedestrians have historically won most accident cases, they’re still responsible for their own safety and should always act accordingly.
Whether you’re a driver or a pedestrian, you should always act responsibly as to avoid accidents and stay safe.
The traffic can pose serious risks to all of us, and unless we’re alert and focused, we will end up putting our own lives in jeopardy either behind the wheel or while crossing the street.
