Walking on the sidewalk on a hot, sunny day could never be more exhausting and unlucky than getting hit by a reckless driver resulting in pedestrian injury. Most of us think that since we are on a pedestrian lane or sidewalk that we are safe, and we never imagine we could get caught up in a car accident. Pedestrian injuries can result in debilitating physical impairment and this can most likely result in high hospital bills and other medical expenses. Thus, a Nashville car accident lawyer could come in handy to help you with settlement over damages caused by the at-fault driver.
WHAT ARE THE COMMON PEDESTRIAN INJURIES?
Most pedestrian injuries are caused by either primary impact or by secondary impact when victims are thrown into another car, trees or any other surrounding object. These impact can cause injuries like:
- Cuts, Bruises and Abrasions
- Bone Concussions and Contusions due to severe impact
- Swelling of the injured area
- Blood Clots surrounding the injury
- Hemorrhage and severe hematoma
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Torn ligaments
- Knee dislocation
- Serious Bone Fractures
SOME CAUSES OF PEDESTRIAN INJURIES
The danger of pedestrian injuries in Nashville rises at night when it’s dark. It was reported that roughly 40% of pedestrian deaths happens at dusk until before midnight. The drivers have limited visibility at night and blind spots increase at that time. So it is mainly the responsibility of the driver to keep safe and make sure that his headlights and tail lights are working fine. He also needs to keep his speed down on a safe level or within limits, especially at night.
Also some causes of pedestrian injuries could be because of drivers who are under the influence of alcoholic substances or even drugs. This is a serious problem regarding car accidents, as some drivers are too insensitive to even think about others as they decide to drive under impairment of alcohol or drugs. In Nashville, transportation law is in place prohibiting driving under the influence (DUI) or driving with impairment (DWI) and this incurs serious legal consequences and even jail time for up to 3 years.
NASHVILLE TRAFFIC LAW: KEEPING PEDESTRIANS SAFE
In Nashville, it is the responsibility of lawmakers to protect pedestrians from negligent and reckless drivers on the road. Under all circumstances, a driver must keep his speed at a reasonable limit, paying attention to the pedestrians on the sidewalk or crosswalks. Nashville code states that a driver must use utmost care to avoid hitting a person while crossing the street regardless of who has the right of way. The driver must use his horn whenever necessary, this is to caution people that a car is on the way and to alert children nearby. At all costs, a person must be responsible enough the moment they get into their cars and be alert at all times. This will not only protect pedestrians on sidewalks but could also save their own lives as car accidents could leave a lasting injurious effect on a person and even death.