It doesn’t matter if you live in Las Vegas or are visiting to have some fun, there’s a good chance you’ll regularly consider yourself a pedestrian. For example, many people spend a lot of time walking up and down the Strip, visiting one casino after the next.
Even with a variety of safety features in place, you’re still at risk of being injured in a pedestrian-car accident. There are many common causes of these accidents, including:
- Distracted driving: If a driver is looking at the bright lights of the casinos, as opposed to the road, they’re more likely to strike a pedestrian.
- Speeding: With so many pedestrians in the area, drivers must take extra caution in regard to how fast they’re driving.
- Failure to yield to pedestrians: Drivers are expected to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks, giving them the ability to safely make it to the other side of the road.
- Failure to use turn signals: If a driver neglects to use a turn signal, a pedestrian may get the wrong impression about what they’re doing.
- Disregard for traffic conditions: Las Vegas is well known for heavy traffic, which can result in aggressive and reckless driving. This increases the risk of an accident with another vehicle or pedestrian.
- Driving under the influence: Many people love Las Vegas because of their ability to party at all times of the day and night. There’s nothing wrong with having a good time, but drinking and driving puts everyone at risk.
Personal safety tips
Since you can’t control the actions of drivers, you need to take special care as a pedestrian. Here are three things you can do to protect yourself:
- Make eye contact with drivers, such as before you cross the road
- Use marked crosswalks to get to the other side of the road
- Don’t ignore “don’t walk” signals at intersections
These simple tips will give you peace of mind, as each one helps enhance your safety as a pedestrian.
If you’re injured in a car-pedestrian accident, time is of the essence. There’s nothing more important than receiving immediate medical treatment. Once you’re stable, you can review the cause of the accident, talk to your insurance agent and determine what steps you can take to hold the negligent driver responsible for injuring you.