Auto-pedestrian accidents are among the most serious injury accidents any personal injury lawyer sees. Any time two tons (or more) of steel come into contact with the human body, the results are ugly. High speed auto pedestrian injury accidents are even worse. Unfortunately, Houston is a driving city, and auto-pedestrian accidents are all too common.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 76,000 pedestrians suffered injuries in motor vehicle-related accidents in 2012 alone in the United States. Texas has the third highest number of pedestrian accidents of the 50 states, and a large amount of those auto pedestrian accidents occur in Houston. All residents of Houston have to walk near a street, cross an intersection, or walk in a parking lot on a regular basis, therefore everyone has the potential to be involved in a pedestrian accident.
The large majority of pedestrian accidents involve a collision between a person walking and a single driver of a motor vehicle. The following are some of the most common forms of driver negligence that cause these collisions to occur.
Distracted Driving
Many drivers multitask while they are behind the wheel. Using cell phones, texting, eating, grooming, and other activities are highly dangerous while driving. Even if a driver looks away from the road in front of him for only a second, it could be long enough to miss seeing a pedestrian and cause a collision. Attorney Stewart J. Guss has been informing the public and leading the fight for the Houston legal community against distracted driving for many years.
Failing to Yield
Though walk signals exist at nearly every intersection, a large amount of pedestrian accidents occur in crosswalks when pedestrians have the right of way. Drivers who are making left or right hand turns often fail to pay attention to walk signals and end up colliding with a pedestrian. To illustrate how often drivers fail to yield, even a Houston police chief was suspended without pay in 2013 for failing to yield and hitting a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
Speeding
When drivers speed through intersections, they often cause pedestrian accidents. Pedestrians may not be able to accurately judge the speed of a car and, if they step out into the street, a speeding car may not be able to slam on the brakes in time to avoid a collision.
An Experienced Houston Pedestrian Accident Attorney Can Help You Recover
Pedestrian accidents can happen to anyone, at any time. Many people do not know how to begin seeking recovery for their medical expenses and injuries. Fortunately, experienced Houston pedestrian accident attorney Stewart J. Guss has spent 20 years representing the people of Cypress, Tomball, The Woodlands, Katy, Spring and all throughout Houston after a pedestrian accident. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Houston pedestrian accident, call Stewart today at 800-898-4877. Your consultation is completely free, and you will never pay a dime until we win your auto pedestrian injury accident claim.
