Many of us have come across a situation where we are walking on the crosswalk and we see a vehicle driving erratically. Most of us would not expect it to come and hit us because we are out of their way. However, too many times pedestrians on the sidewalks are actually hit by vehicles. Obviously, in such accidents, pedestrians suffer severe injuries. The situation becomes worse when the victim is a child, because they are even more fragile. In this post, our St. Louis car accident attorney will talk about child pedestrian injuries.
Common causes of pedestrian accidents
Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable in crosswalks, because they have slower reaction times and are more fragile. They cannot quickly move out of the way and save themselves if a negligent driver comes their way. Unfortunately, there are too many drivers who are in a hurry and are selfish, and they do not follow traffic rules or focus on the road. This is one of the most common causes of accidents.
Distracted drivers are also responsible for a number of pedestrian accidents. When crossing an intersection there are traffic lights to tell pedestrian when to cross the street and how much time they have to cross. However, children and the elderly who follow these traffic lights may not have enough time to cross and at the same moment a distracted driver or someone who is coming rapidly with no intention of stopping may hit them. While the driver may be sorry, the damage is done and the child has been already been severely injured.
Recently, in a neighborhood in Oakland, San Francisco Bay Area, three children were struck by a car at a crosswalk. Thankfully, all three of them, including the youngest one who was dragged under the car, survived. The video showed the two older children stopped and looked both ways before crossing, and they probably thought that the driver would stop. They braced for the impact right before the collision.
Pedestrian laws in Missouri
Missouri gives right of way to pedestrians. This means, drivers must yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. At an intersection, when the pedestrian has the signal to cross or he/she is already in the crosswalk, the driver must yield to them.
Where there is no crosswalk sign, the driver still must yield to the pedestrian if he/she is midway into the crosswalk. Any driver coming up behind the stopped vehicle cannot pass the yielding vehicle.
Has your child been injured by a negligent driver?
Car accident injuries can have a lasing impact on the physical, mental and emotional well being of a child. If your child has been injured in a car accident in a crosswalk, you should seek legal help from a competent St. Louis accident lawyer.
