Throughout my career as an Austin Lawyer, I am seeing more and more pedestrian/car accidents in Austin. This could be linked to our ever growing city or the fact that our city promotes a healthy lifestyle and more pedestrians are willing to take advantage of that. From the shops on SoCo, to our fun filled districts like 6th street, warehouse district, E. 6th, Rainey St., and W.6th; Can you ask for a better place to live? But all this fun comes with a price. This article will hopefully help explain why these injury accidents are happening and what you can do to avoid being involved in one.
Our city’s Median age 31.9 tends to be lower than most other thriving metropolitans in Texas. That may contribute to the fact that our city tends to exercise more and drink more than other US cities. Both of these factors can help explain why more pedestrians are active in Austin. More pedestrians increase the statistical likelihood of an Auto accidents. Anyone who has driven in Austin knows that our roadways are congested beyond description. Too many cars on the roads, too many pedestrians, drinking, pedestrian exercise, and youthful mistakes all contribute to this disturbing trend.
The rules of the road for pedestrians are pretty straight forward: Cross on a crosswalk; if one is not available, use the light signals of an intersection to cross where a crosswalk would have been; if no intersection is available, go to a stop sign and cross where a crosswalk would have been; if running or walking, walk against Traffic on a sidewalk or the side of a street (if no sidewalk is present). Use common sense! Never cross a highway or street; and remember what your mother always told you: Look both ways before crossing the street. You would be wise to check to the left a 3rd time before crossing.
If you have been involved in a pedestrian/car accident, call our office immediately. Time is of the essence on these type of cases. It is critical to document information before it becomes tainted. Witness statements, officer reports, crash scene diagrams, debris on the roadway, cameras in the vicinity, and 911 tapes are all part of our investigation. If you have been injured in a Car Accident in Austin, stay off of Social Media and call our office NOW!
