Distracted walking occurs when someone is not paying attention to the road or traffic, has earbuds in, is texting or completely only aware of the phone or similar activities that can lead to a pedestrian causing an accident. Some states will hold this person 100 percent responsible for the accident, and he or she will owe damages to the injured party.
The Actual Distractions
When a person is walking near traffic or by the road in the electronic age, he or she may either focus attention on a phone or listen through headphones to something. This sound can cover up the traffic sounds and any other auditory impact the person should hear when walking such as someone honking a horn or bicycle riders’ bells. If there are other items to pay attention to such as crosswalk signs or red or green lights, the individual may not see these if paying sole attention to the phone or device. It is because of these that the distraction can cause a wreck.
Distracted Walking and the Collision
Someone that only pays attention to the device rather than traffic can cause a collision. This person could walk out into traffic, cross when the sign says not to or cause a wreck with bikers or bicycle riders. The distraction can also distract drivers to try to avoid the pedestrian that is not paying any attention to the road. This usually leads to a collision either with an object or another person in some way. The event can end with an injury, property damage and death. Multiple parties entangled in this mess can also involve multiple insurance carriers which require settlements for injured parties.
How Distractions Affect Traffic
Generally, distracted walkers that are on the side of the road and stay there are not much of a concern for drivers. However, this is not often how distracted walkers remain. Many of these individuals will attempt to cross the road, could run into someone or something and could even cause bicycle riders to crash. If the pedestrian enters traffic, it could cause an accident, lead to this person’s death and end in a more serious disaster with multiple vehicles and others involved. Property damage, injury and death are all possible because the distracted walker was not paying attention to traffic.
Ban on Technology
Many states will ban technology when drivers are on the roads. However, some stats criminalize distracted walking and require those on the sides of the road or that will remain pedestrians to keep electronics away from the face. If this person is anywhere near traffic, the laws are in place to protect drivers from these pedestrians and the distracted walker from suffering more severe injury because he or she is not paying attention to the immediate dangers in the vicinity. The ban on technology is relatively new in the 2010s, and the impact may take some years before it is clear if it helps.
The Seriousness of Distracted Walking
The gravity of distracted walkers is understood through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data and reviews of these matters. Approximately 5000 pedestrians die because of accidents involving passenger and commercial vehicles in over 70,000 collisions since 2012 with increasing numbers in certain states. It is clear that pedestrians that are constantly looking at anything other than traffic are suffering injury because they are not aware of their surroundings. With such a problem plaguing certain cities, there is a ban on texting while walking. This ban is essential to prevent even more deaths because of distractions with walkers in the area.
The Standard Risks of Distracted Walking
When someone engages in distracted walking, there are certain standard risks involved. These tend to lead to injury to someone that can include a driver, passenger, biker, bicycle rider and other pedestrians. Trips, strains of muscles, sprains and factures of bones are normal. Cuts, bruises and concussions can happen. The more severe accidents involve brain injuries, spinal cord damage and death. With thousands of distracted pedestrians every year causing incidents, it is important to have a lawyer available to pursue a lawsuit when one of these individuals causes severe injury because of the danger of distracted walking
Legal Support against the Distracted Walker
When injured because a distracted walker caused an accident, contact the law offices of AZ Hometown Lawyers. The evidence may exist in video surveillance through traffic light cameras, witness testimony and other evidence to prove that the pedestrian was distracted while walking.
