Southaven Personal Injury Attorneys Fighting for the Rights of those Injured in Pedestrian Accidents

Serving clients in Southaven, Horn Lake, Olive Branch, Hernando and throughout DeSoto County for more than 50 years

Both drivers and pedestrians in Mississippi have an obligation to obey traffic rules. Pedestrian accidents often take place when the driver either does not see the pedestrian, or there is some confusion about who has the right of way in the given situation. According to FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System), there were 53 pedestrian traffic fatalities in Mississippi in 2014, which is the same number as the previous year.

The law firm of Taylor Jones Taylor has been serving the people of Mississippi since 1964. We provide legal representation for people injured by no fault of their own, and we fight to obtain justice for our clients. If you have been involved in an auto accident with a pedestrian, or if you were injured by a passenger or a commercial driver anywhere in Southaven, Olive Branch, Hernando, or anywhere in DeSoto County or the rest of Mississippi we can help.

Who is most likely to be involved in a pedestrian accident?

Certain populations are more likely to be injured or fatally wounded in pedestrian-related accidents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports adults over the age of 65 accounted for 20 percent of pedestrian deaths and 9 percent of pedestrian injuries in 2012. Children are the next most likely population to be involved in a pedestrian accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that in 2013, 5 percent of the 4,735 pedestrian traffic fatalities were children, and 21 percent of the child traffic fatalities were pedestrians, and 15 percent of pedestrians injured in traffic crashes were children.

Common causes of pedestrian accidents

Most of the time, people driving only hit pedestrians because they do not see them. Many times the pedestrian is a child or children who are playing at or near a street or intersection. The most dangerous time of day for child pedestrian traffic fatalities is after school: specifically between 3pm and 5pm – the hours that school lets out – when 26 percent of accidents occur; and between 6pm and 8:59 pm – the average time of day when the sun sets – when 35 percent of accidents occur.

Besides children running and playing in the street after school, there are several other circumstances that may contribute to a driver vs. pedestrian accident, such as:

Impaired/ Fatigued / Distracted driving, like driving while taking pain medication and/or texting on your cell phone
Aggressive/ Reckless driving, like running a red light and not watching for pedestrians in the crosswalk
Unsafe crosswalk, such as a poorly lit or a poorly marked crossing area that has not been maintained
Other drivers, who actively cause the accident or passively do so by parking their cars illegally and obscuring someone’s view of innocent pedestrians

Common injuries caused by pedestrian accidents

Serious bodily injury, and sometimes death, is virtually guaranteed when a vehicle strikes a person. Most of the time these accidents result in:

Bumps and bruises
Broken and fractured bones
Cuts and lacerations

Sometimes the injuries are much more serious and include:

Musculoskeletal injuries like torn ligaments or tendons
Neurological injuries like brain or spinal cord injuries
Loss of limb like amputations or vision loss
Death

Someone injured as a pedestrian after a crash with a vehicle will often require extensive medical care, will lose time at work or school, and will feel significant pain, suffering and emotional trauma because of the accident. Our skilled Southaven auto accident attorneys can advise you about your options after something like this happens so the negligent party can be held responsible and you can be made whole during your path to recovery.

How to prevent pedestrian accidents

Most people know how to walk and probably learned at a young age to make sure they look both ways before crossing the street, but there are a few more safety tips that everyone can follow to help prevent vehicle v. pedestrian crashes:

Only cross at the corner, in marked, pedestrian crosswalks or at an intersection
Look both ways before you step off any sidewalk or cross any road
If they are clearly marked, make sure you stay within the crosswalks and stay aware of traffic and be prepared to move out of the way if a driver does not see you
Do not talk, text or stare at your mobile phone while crossing the street– be alert at all times!
Do not assume that because you can see the other driver that the other driver can see you
Obey all pedestrian crossing signals (No jaywalking!)
Try to take the safest route that is well lit, has the least amount of traffic traveling at slower speeds, and that has sidewalks when you can
Try to wear bright/reflective clothing or carry a light so you can be seen by others, especially at night

For motorists:

Always obey all the traffic speed limits, signs and other signals
Always slow down and be alert when approaching an intersection
Always slow down and be alert when driving in residential or retail areas with lots of children or shoppers
Always look for pedestrians before turning
Always yield to pedestrians who are in or close to a crosswalk or intersection; regardless of whether the “Walk” or some other signal has expired

Contact us today

Let our experienced Mississippi pedestrian injury attorneys at Taylor Jones Taylor handle your matter for you and do the work to help you recover what you’ve lost and hold the negligent driver responsible so you can focus on getting better and back to your life. Call us today at 662-342-1300, or fill out this contact form to schedule an appointment. The firm has offices in Southaven, Hernando and Olive Branch, and has proudly served clients throughout DeSoto County and in Clarksdale, Grenada, Batesville, Tupelo, Cleveland, Oxford and as far south as Brandon, Hattiesburg, Biloxi, Gulfport, Jackson, Meridian and Bay Saint Louis. Call us today!