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The risk to pedestrians when drivers make a turn

by | Feb 7, 2022 | Pedestrian Accidents

There is a risk to pedestrians whenever they walk near the road, but this risk is often increased when drivers are turning. Accidents can happen when these drivers turn either left or right, and the pedestrians will have the greatest chance of being injured.

To help you stay safe, it’s important to know exactly how these crashes may occur.

Why turning drivers are so dangerous

The problem with drivers who are turning is that they are often crossing the path of a pedestrian who is trying to make it to their own destination.

For instance, someone may be waiting to turn left at a blinking light when a pedestrian is trying to cross the street. If that driver is so focused on watching the cars coming toward them that they never even look at the crosswalk, they may press the gas to turn through a break in traffic and strike the pedestrian that they never even saw.

Drivers who are turning right may also make mistakes when they are allowed to turn right on a red. They may look for cars and determine that they have space to turn, but they might not look at the sidewalk right next to them. Pedestrians will have the walk symbol on that crosswalk, but the driver could quickly try to turn and strike them as they enter the street.

As you can see, a lot of these issues stem from drivers who are trying to hurry and who are only looking at other vehicles, and not at pedestrians. If you get hit by a negligent driver and suffer serious injuries, you need to know if you can seek financial compensation to cover your costs. 

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