Crosswalks in Leesburg
Crosswalks are places where traffic is supposed to yield to persons already crossing the road. There are signs throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia where traffic must yield to pedestrians already in the crosswalk.
Some of the more common ways that pedestrian accidents occur is when a driver fails to notice that the pedestrians are in the crosswalks or pedestrians do not yield to drivers who are already too close to them to safely stop. Additionally, the crosswalk may not be marked very well and the driver may have a hard time understanding that someone may be coming across the intersection or the pedestrian or driver may be distracted.
A large majority of crosswalk accident cases are pedestrian accident cases. If you have been involved in a pedestrian accident at a crosswalk, contact a Leesburg pedestrian accident attorney.
Common Areas for Crosswalks
In the town of Leesburg, there are crosswalks laid out in a variety of different manners. Crosswalks are quite common in Leesburg as opposed to some other places in Loudon County. In Leesburg, it is common that a crosswalk occurs at a controlled intersection, such as a stop light with a pedestrian signal. However, Leesburg also has a variety of uncontrolled intersections including places where the Washington & Old Dominion Trail crosses through town.
Drivers should be more cautious when they see a crosswalk regardless of whether the crosswalk is in the middle of the street or at an intersection. Drivers have a duty to care for the person in the crosswalk and make safe driving decisions. Generally, drivers are more cautious when they notice crosswalks ahead.
Rules of the Road: Crosswalks
Crosswalks in uncontrolled intersections, meaning there is no stop sign or other methods to control traffic, it is a gray area with law. The pedestrian must work with the motorist to decide who has the right of way and who is safe to go.
The general rule is that the pedestrian begins to cross when it is safe to do so and a motorist already in the roadway must yield to them. Pedestrians must yield if they attempt to cross and the motor vehicles are too close to safely stop. If, however, it is a controlled intersection, meaning there is a traffic control device or a signal, the pedestrian must cross with the signal. Typically, in the town of Leesburg, these have signals that tell the pedestrian when it is safe to walk and when to stop.
Pedestrians should always walk in marked crosswalks especially at night. They should wear light clothing to be able to be seen. They should also assume that the drivers cannot see them.
Safety and Preventive Measures
As the driver, a person should always use caution when approaching a crosswalk. They should look for crosswalk signs and be aware of areas where children may be at play, people are walking dogs, or there may be cyclists or other folks who are less apt to understand their duties at the crosswalks. In addition, the driver should not make assumptions when a person is in a crosswalk, such as assuming the pedestrian will be walking at a certain speed and assuming that they will not drop anything. The driver may try to drive more aggressively through the intersection and cause an accident as a result of getting too close to the pedestrian and not accurately judging their distance.
Pedestrians should never assume that the driver will stop when the driver sees them and begin applying their brakes. Pedestrians often take for granted that the driver sees them, especially in low-light conditions.
When you are injured in a pedestrian accident, you should contact emergency medical services and law enforcement right away. Typically, you may call 911. Oftentimes, pedestrians who are injured are unable to call for themselves, so it is important that bystanders assist them and remain on-scene to make sure the injured person gets emergency medical attention.
