DeVaughn James Injury Lawyers
  • Home
    • DeVaughn James – East Wichita
    • DeVaughn James – West Wichita
    • DeVaughn James – Topeka
  • Practice Areas
    • Car Accidents
    • Trucking Accident
    • Motorcycle Accidents
    • Slip and Fall Injuries
    • Commercial Vehicle Accident
    • Brain Injuries
    • Dog Bite
    • Drunk Driving
    • Product Injuries
    • Nursing Home Injuries
    • Roundup Cancer Lawsuit
    • Workers Compensation
    • Wrongful Death
    • Bad Drugs & Harmful Products
    • Prescription Drug Injuries
  • About Our Firm
    • DJ Giveaways
      • $2500 Charity Giveaway
      • Think Before U Drink
      • DJ Birthday Bash
    • Community Service
      • DJ WINS for Kansas
      • Helping Hand Grants
      • Pay it Forward
      • Veteran Salute – Topeka
      • Veteran Salute – Wichita
      • In The Community
    • Join Our Team
    • DeVaughn James Newsletter
    • FAQ’s
    • What Our Clients Say
    • Our Results
    • Tour Our Offices Online
  • Attorneys
    • Dustin L. DeVaughn
    • Richard W. James
    • Cody G. Claassen
    • Shawn P. Aldrich
    • Joseph Behzadi
    • Jessica A. Brunken
    • Joseph Bryden
    • Nick French
    • Andrew T. Geren
    • Garrett Heath
    • Tymber W. Long
    • Tim Love
    • Brendan P. Lykins
    • Andy Massey
    • Claire Melero
    • Scott Nading
    • Heather A. Nizzio
    • Chris Omlid
    • Mackenzie Orchard
    • Dakota Persinger
    • Arthur E. Rhodes
    • Lance Smith
    • Corey Sucher
    • Nicole Turner
    • Patrick Turner
    • Luke J. Williams
    • Jeff Wilson
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • East Wichita Office
    • West Wichita Office
    • Topeka Office
    • Attorney Referral
316-888-8888
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Car Accidents
  • Common Causes of Nighttime Pedestrian Accidents

Common Causes of Nighttime Pedestrian Accidents

Common Causes of Nighttime Pedestrian Accidents

by admin / Wednesday, December 26, 2018 / Published in Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Safety Tips

Across the country, nearly 9 pedestrians suffer significant injuries in auto collisions every hour, and 12 are killed each day in such incidents. Nearly three quarters of collisions involving pedestrians occur at night. In Kansas, 20% of the total number of motor vehicle collisions involved pedestrians, in 2016.

 

Pedestrian Accidents at Night

 

What makes nighttime so dangerous for pedestrians?

  • Lower visibility: Even with car headlights and street lights, a driver’s vision is significantly impacted during nighttime hours making it harder to spot a pedestrian especially at a distance. Motorists driving at night tend to be more attentive to other vehicles on the road than to pedestrians.
  •  

  • Compromised perception: A motorist who is driving at the speed of 30-40 mph will easily see a pedestrian at an intersection from well over 200 feet away in day light. The same motorist driving at night may not notice a pedestrian until they get within 100 feet or less.
  •  

  • Higher reaction time: In optimal conditions, including day light and a physically fit motorist, a reasonable reaction time is usually 0.2 – 0.5 second. This translates to approximately 30 feet at 30 mph. But at night, the reaction time may be sower, closer to 0.9 – 1.2 seconds. This equates to a distance of over 50 feet.
  •  

  • Road conditions: When it’s dark outside, it is also harder to see surface conditions and hazards brought on by inclement weather. For instance, it can be nearly impossible to spot ice (particularly black ice), pot holes and small obstructions on the road.
  •  

  • Fatigue: Driver fatigue can affect motorists at any point of the day. However, drivers will naturally be at an increased risk for drowsiness at night. Drowsiness, in addition to the other risks, makes the roads even less safe for pedestrians.

 

What can you do to avoid pedestrian crashes?

Although motorists and pedestrians tend to point fingers at each other following a collision, both parties can take steps to contribute to pedestrian safety. Here are a few things that you can do to greatly lower the risk of a collision.

 

As a pedestrian:

 

  • • Wear bright colored and reflective clothing to make it easier for motorists to spot you.
  •  

  • • If you’ve been drinking and are too impaired to drive, consider getting a friend or calling a cab to drive you instead of walking home.
  •  

  • • Always use crosswalks at intersections and watch carefully for cars making a turn.
  •  

  • • Look in the direction of oncoming traffic and try to make eye contact with any motorists, if you don’t have a crosswalk.
  •  

  • • If you are accompanying kids, the elderly or those with compromised physical abilities, hold their hand or arm while crossing.
  •  

  • • Don’t let children play outside alone, particularly near the road at or after dusk.
  •  

  • • Avoid electronic device distractions when walking at night.

 

As a motorist:

 

  • • Slow down. Consider the areas where it is even advisable to travel slower than the speed limit to allow for a better time to react.
  •  

  • • Be particularly careful when you are near or driving through crosswalks.
  •  

  • • Always yield to pedestrians on your side of the roadway.
  •  

  • • Don’t drink and drive.
  •  

  • • Don’t use a cell phone in any way and keep other distractions like GPS and music to a minimum.
  •  

  • • Don’t try to pass vehicles that have stopped or are slowing at a crosswalk.
  •  

  • • Use extreme caution when driving through residential areas.

 

In Kansas, you may be entitled to benefits through your own auto insurance company in addition to your claim for damages from other parties. Pedestrians involved in night time collisions often suffer significant injuries. With serious physical injuries, the potential for loss of income, and pain and suffering, damages are often hard to quantify. This makes it easy for the insurance companies to use this opportunity to drive down the value of your claim.

 

When insurance companies delay or deny your claim, contact an experienced attorney from DeVaughn James Injury Lawyers. We won’t settle for anything less than what you deserve. Our attorneys are well qualified and experienced in handling personal injury cases related to pedestrian collisions. Contact us today and we will make sure that you receive all the compensation you are entitled to.

  • Tweet
Tagged under: Night Driving, Pedestrians, personal injury

What you can read next

Black Friday Safety Tips
Kansas car accident on winter snow covered road.
How to Avoid Winter Car Crashes in Kansas
1 in 4 Car Collisions Involves Cell Phone Use

Recent Blog Posts

  • Semi-truck and car collision on Kansas roadway

    Motorists’ Rights After a Trucking Accident in Topeka, Kansas

    A trucking accident can be a devastating and li...
  • Become a Top Fan on Facebook for Our Exclusive Giveaways!

    You can earn a Top Fan badge by being one of th...
  • Young people drinking at a club on New Year's Eve.

    Kansas Residents Can Avoid Drunk Driving This New Year’s Eve

    Every New Year’s Eve, thousands of Kansas resid...
  • Car driving on Kansas winter road in snowy conditions.

    Winter Driving Tips for Kansas Residents or Travelers

    Driving in the winter can be risky, particularl...
  • Semi-truck and Car collide in busy intersection.

    Three Reasons to Hire a Kansas Truck Accident Lawyer

    Whether a truck rams into a car or a car into t...

Archives

Categories

  • Bicycle Accident
  • Car Accidents
  • Class Action
  • Commercial Vehicle Accidents
  • Community Service
  • Dog Bites
  • Firm News
  • Kansas Auto Insurance
  • Law
  • Motorcycle Accidents
  • Nursing Home Abuse
  • Personal Injury
  • Safety Tips
  • Slip & Fall Accidents
  • Trucking Accidents
  • Uncategorized
  • Veterans
  • Wrongful Death

ABOUT US

DeVaughn James Injury Lawyers is the largest personal injury law firm in Kansas. We have offices in Wichita and Topeka where we focus on personal injury cases, such as car accidents, semi-truck accidents, and wrongful death. Every day we help Kansans, just like you, who have suffered an injury through no fault of their own.

*No Fee Guarantee represents a contingent fee contract, the payment of an attorney fee is contingent on a recovery.

CONTACT US

316-888-8888
316-977-9999
785-888-8888
620-888-8888

*Prior results do not guarantee outcomes in future cases as each case is individually based upon the personal injuries of the clients.

24/7 LIVE CHAT AVAILABLE

24/7 Live Chat Service

*Offices located in Wichita & Topeka, Kansas. Proudly serving all of Kansas! DeVaughn James - East | DeVaughn James - West | DeVaughn James - Topeka

  • Home
  • Contact
  • Attorney Referral
  • DJ Newsletters
  • Join Our Team
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap

© 2023 DeVaughn James Injury Lawyers. All Rights Reserved.

TOP