Pedestrians are the most vulnerable party when it comes to traffic accidents. They wear no protective gear, they are not surrounded by metal casing, and they are easily overlooked, especially when dressed in dark colors. As a result, drivers need to keep a careful eye on any pedestrians that may be moving to cross the street. But do they even have the right of way?
Many pedestrians seem to think so, but the law surrounding this matter is a little more complex than that. There are situations in which they do hold the right of way, but there are also some in which they do not. Regardless, those of us who sit behind the wheel should never ignore the value of human life in favor of enforcing their right of way. Hitting the brakes is a small price to pay, if it means nobody was harmed.Nevertheless, we are all taking on the role of a pedestrian at some point or another, which is why it is important that all of us are aware of our rights as pedestrians.
Frequently Observed Mistakes Made by Pedestrians:
• Roads crossed while the control signals clearly give the order: “Don’t walk”
• Sprinting across the street as the walk sign has already counted down to one
• Roads crossed before the light is green and while turning cars are still navigating the same path
• Sprinting across a highly trafficked street in an effort not to miss their bus
• Activating flashing lights at a crosswalk and then crossing without ensuring it is safe to do so
• Crossing a street with their full attention on their phones instead of on their surroundings
The right of way is no excuse to behave recklessly. You can still be struck by a car or even a bus. And regardless of whether it is them who are at fault or you yourself, you are the most vulnerable party in both of these scenarios. Injury Lawyer in Burlington knows that drivers are protected by seatbelts and airbags and a durable metal frame, whereas you as the pedestrian are merely shielded by a couple of thin layers of fabric.
The basis of pedestrians’ right of way is documented in the laws. In this act it is stated that a pedestrian will hold the right of way when they are making use of a crosswalk. However, even then they should never step into the path of an oncoming vehicle without leaving the driver enough time to come to a stop. It is lack of alertness and oftentimes, non-adherence to traffic laws that leads to such accidents. That is one of the reasons that not just the vehicle driver but pedestrians need to be careful of the oncoming traffic.
