With a population of 5.8 million, Colorado ranks as the 15th-best state in the US. The state is known for its mountains and rivers. Colorado has been named the best state to live by many publications.
The state has one major problem—pedestrian accidents. In 2022 alone, 111 people lost their lives as a result of pedestrian accidents. This is a 14% increase from the previous year. As of June 2023, the state had lost 51 people due to pedestrian accidents. It is evident that the numbers are not going down.
Denver, the capital of Colorado, is one of the major contributors to these numbers, along with El Paso and Jefferson. Most of these accidents happen due to negligence, which should be punished. Victims, with the help of Denver pedestrian accident attorneys, can file a claim and punish the negligent parties.
By filing a claim, the victim can also recover the losses they incurred as a result of the accident.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
As said, the primary reason for pedestrian accidents is negligence. But negligence has many forms. The following are some of the common causes of pedestrian accidents:
- Distracted driving
- Failure to yield
- Driving under the influence
- Weather conditions
- Jaywalking
Distracted Driving
Motorists can be distracted in many different ways when driving a vehicle. Smartphones and humans have become inseparable.
Watching videos, replying to texts, and checking emails are some of the ways a driver can be distracted. However, smartphones are not the only things that distract a person from driving.
Distracted driving is categorized into three types:
- Visual distraction
- Manual distraction
- Cognitive distraction
All types of distractions are quite serious and can result in accidents. Driving without paying attention to the road near crosswalks is a common cause of pedestrian accidents.
Failure to Yield
Many motorists don’t seem to understand the concept of right of way. As a result, failure to yield has become a common cause of pedestrian accidents.
At crosswalks and intersections, pedestrians always have the right of way. Cars must yield to pedestrians. Failure to yield will result in tickets in the best-case scenario and deaths in the worst-case scenario.
Driving Under the Influence
Drunk drivers are a threat to Colorado drivers and pedestrians. Impaired drivers will have reduced reaction time. They will not react to people crossing the road.
Their vision will also be impaired, so they won’t be able to see pedestrians. It is safe to say that these drivers will have no control over the vehicle.
Drunk drivers should be punished severely. Their license should be revoked and sent to prison. Severe punishments are the only way to control drunk driving.
Weather Conditions
Weather conditions like rain and snow are another common reason for pedestrian accidents.
During these weather conditions, the stopping distance of the car will be quite high. Drivers may miscalculate/misjudge the car’s stopping distance and hit pedestrians.
It is best to drive below the speed limit to keep the car under the driver’s control.
Jaywalking
This is the only reason in the blog post that is the fault of pedestrians. Jaywalking is the act of crossing the road where there are no crosswalks.
Jaywalking is dangerous and illegal. Motorists don’t expect people to cross the road at random places. So they may not react to jaywalkers.
Pedestrians should cross the road only at crosswalks and intersections.
Final Thoughts
Pedestrian accidents are highly likely to result in deaths, as there is no safety gear for pedestrians. Even if the victim survives, they will suffer a lot of losses.
Luckily, it is possible to recover these losses with the help of pedestrian accident attorneys. These attorneys can file a claim, negotiate with the insurance company, and obtain fair compensation for the victim’s losses.
