The attorneys of Bye, Goff & Rohde want to help you prevent accidents before they happen. Below are some tips to stay safe while walking and teach our children based on recommendations from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
- Look left, right, and then left again before crossing a street, and keep scanning left and right as you cross. Teach this basic safety habit even before your children are old enough to cross a street by themselves.
- Always obey traffic signals. No exceptions to this rule, even if you don’t see any traffic.
- Do not use phones when walking. This means not looking at, texting, talking, or playing video games on your phone. You should remain attentive at all times when walking on roads.
- Take off headphones or take out earbuds when crossing a street. Again, staying attentive is so important for staying safe.
- Stay on areas designated for walking, such as sidewalks, crosswalks, and footpaths. If no crosswalks are available, cross at street corners. If you have to walk on the street, walk facing traffic, and stay as far to the left as possible.
- Wear light-colored or reflective clothing when walking at dusk or night.
- Never run out into a street. Never run out into the street to chase a ball or a toy.
- As an adult, be a good role model! Set a good example. Put away your phone when walking, look carefully before crossing the street, and walk with purpose.
We strongly recommend that you don’t let children under 10 cross the street without an adult. Children under 10 are less able to judge a car’s speed and distance.
Reacting to Pedestrian Accidents
If you witness a pedestrian accident, use the stop, call, and stay system to get help:
- Stop and look both ways before rushing into the street to help
- Call 911 when you have reached the injured party, and
- Stay with them until help arrives.
If you are the victim of a pedestrian accident, you will likely depend on others to call for help. Once you receive the medical care you need, try to get a copy of the police report and all the information you can gather about the crash.
For help with the aftermath of a pedestrian accident, don’t hesitate to call the pedestrian accident attorney of Bye, Goff & Rohde. With over 180 years of combined experience, we will fight for you to get the compensation you deserve.
Set up your free consultation today at (715) 202-5699 or online – we are available 24/7, so you can call anytime.