The busiest Louisiana streets often have pedestrians walking next to various vehicles without any problems. Of course, car accidents involving pedestrians sometimes happen, leading to those on foot suffering the worst injuries. Walkers and joggers might experience the worst harm when involved in a collision with an SUV because the vehicle’s mass can cause serious injuries.
SUV accidents and pedestrian injuries
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety performed a study that may serve as a warning to pedestrians. The study suggests that late-model SUVs could prove more fatal to pedestrians than smaller cars. Research reveals another sobering fact: The number of pedestrian deaths increased over the past decade.
An SUV is a large vehicle designed to carry many passengers and a significant amount of cargo. Even when these vehicles travel at relatively moderate speeds, they come with a fatality risk to pedestrians. In addition, SUVs are popular vehicles, so there are a great many of them on the road. One mistake on either the driver’s or the pedestrian’s part could lead to an accident. While the SUV driver may face less risk of injury, a pedestrian lacks the protection that the oversized vehicle provides, so a fatality could result.
Reasons for the accidents
What causes pedestrian accidents? Many incidents happen because someone was negligent. A pedestrian who doesn’t cross the street at an intersection’s green light might put him or herself in harm’s way. An SUV driver who isn’t paying attention to traffic signals could drive into a crosswalk and hit an unsuspecting pedestrian.
When an SUV driver commits a moving violation or operates a vehicle unsafely, the driver may be at fault for any collisions. Intoxicated, distracted or fatigued driving might be the reason for a crash. Any acts of negligence could leave the driver facing a civil suit.
The post Are SUVs a danger to pedestrians? appeared first on Joubert Law Firm.