Common Pedestrian Accident Causes in DC 

What happens in a pedestrian accident is case-by-case. In DC, a pedestrian accident is comparative rather than contributorily negligent. If you are a pedestrian and get hit by a car, even if you are partially at fault, you can recover whatever your award is, but it is less the percentage of liability that is attributable to you. For example, if a jury awards you $100, but finds you 50% at fault, you recover $50. Common pedestrian accident causes are specific to the situation. If you have been involved in an incident, contact an experienced attorney today.

How Children Are Involved in Pedestrian Accidents

It is important to remember if a person has children, they need to be vigilant in making sure that they are safe in the streets and do not do anything that puts them at a higher risk for getting involved in a pedestrian accident.

Children do not always acknowledge the danger of a situation. For instance, if they are a little bit smaller and they are not aware of the risk, it is harder for someone in a vehicle to see them, which can cause a pedestrian accident in DC.

How Child-Related Pedestrian Accidents Differ

DC is a comparative negligence state for pedestrians, which means that if somebody is partially at fault, then their recovery is diminished by the percentage of fault. Under the DC laws, a child has a different standard of care than an adult.

Children six and under cannot be, as a matter of law, contributorily negligent. Additionally, there is a diminished standard of care for people from 7 to 17 that are expected to act as a reasonable child of a similar age and intelligence. There is a diminished or reduced standard as a comparative negligence when it comes to children.

Pedestrian Accidents in Parking Lots

People walk through parking lots while cars are parking and pulling out of parking spaces. If a car is pulling out of a parking space and someone is walking, the operator of the motor vehicle may not pay attention and will collide with the individual who is walking to the parking lot. This is another common scenario of pedestrian accidents in DC.

If a person is a pedestrian and an automobile hit them, they would sue the operator of the car. If a person is crossing a private parking lot, depending on its design or maintenance, there might be additional claims against the owner.

Cars Exiting Parking Lots

Another common scenario of a pedestrian accident in DC is a car will leave a parking lot and make a right or left turn without adequately checking for pedestrians, especially if traffic is heavy in DC. Because traffic is often heavy, drivers sometimes pay less attention in a hurry.

Accidents on Streets with No Sidewalks

When a pedestrian walks on streets with no sidewalks, it is important to remember that to walk towards oncoming traffic not against oncoming traffic. The car who is coming toward that person can see that person, so a common fact pattern is that someone who is driving will not pay enough attention to the sides and they will hit a pedestrian.

Cars Turning Right on Red

A pedestrian accident occurring when cars turn right on red happens less frequently in DC. When a car makes a right turn on red, the pedestrians will have a right of way directly across from the individual. If the driver is making a right on red, usually because they are anticipating the fact that they can make a right on red, they are looking left instead of looking right in front of them. When this happens, drivers may not pay attention and hit a pedestrian.

Cars Turning Left Across an Intersection

Cars turning left across an intersection is the most common scenario in DC relating to pedestrian accidents. A car will have a green light and then make a left through a crosswalk or left through an intersection and if they are driving straight to an intersection, they may hit a pedestrian. Often times, what will happen is the car is making a left-hand turn through an intersection. The pedestrians have the right of way to walk through that intersection and because a driver is rushing, they will collide with the pedestrian as they make a left turn.

Pedestrian Accidents Involving Buses

Buses are very big and very powerful. If a pedestrian gets hit, it can cause really serious and life-changing injuries. The school bus might drive a little slower, they often have more ground to cover, and have children on board. The individuals who are driving those are taking particular care.

Charter buses, on the other hand, come from out of town and can be unfamiliar with DC. As a result, they might cause pedestrians grave injuries.

With public bus stops, the imminent danger comes from people that are waiting for bus. They may stand too close to the street and they get hit on the head by the mirrors. That is a common pedestrian accident scenario with public bus stops.

Factors in Elderly Collision

As a person gets older, they do not see as well and they do not move as fast. That means that if the other driver is not paying attention, they might not see them or they might not have as much time to react, causing a DC pedestrian accident.

Weather Contributing to Pedestrian Accidents

If the weather gets worse, people tend to not drive as well. In prominent rainstorms, snow, or other conditions, pedestrians can be hard to see, so they are more susceptible to injury. Weather is a common cause of DC pedestrian accidents.