Pedestrian Accident

Walking through Stratford is a great way to get to work, your home, or to go out in the downtown area. While many Stratford roads are very walkable, there are always safety concerns when you are walking in areas where cars and other motor vehicles drive. If you regularly walk around Stratford, we have some safety tips for you. If you find yourself in a situation where you have been involved in a pedestrian accident, we can help with that as well. Read on to learn more.

Walking Safety Tips

If you are going to walk around Stratford, there are some ways that you can keep yourself safe. Here are some basic safety tips:

• Wear reflective gear. Make sure that cars can see you on the road, especially if it is nighttime or if the weather is bad. Drivers will have lower visibility in the rain or snow, so make sure to wear reflective clothing so that others can easily see you as you walk on sidewalks or roads.
• Walk on sidewalks when available. You should stay away from main roads to the best of your ability. When sidewalks are available, you should use them. If you are walking in an area that doesn’t have a sidewalk, you should stay as far away from traffic as you safely can and make sure to walk facing traffic. If you are walking with small children or other vulnerable parties, such as the elderly, protect them by keeping them as far away from traffic as you can.
• Follow the rules of the road. Make sure that you cross the street at designated crosswalks. Also stop for traffic stops and lights. You can even use hand signals to show others on the road when you are going to turn. Even though pedestrians have the right of way, you should do everything you can to keep yourself safe and not simply rely on other drivers doing the right thing. Following traffic laws can help reduce the chances that you are involved in a car crash.
• Stay focused. Always stay aware when you are walking and there is traffic around you. Don’t walk and stare at your phone or walk with headphones in. Use all of your senses to be aware of your surroundings and walk with caution in an effort to avoid accidents.

After an Accident

The tips above can help you prevent a pedestrian accident in Stratford, but unfortunately sometimes these things are out of your control. If a motor vehicle drive is at-fault for the accident, there may have been very little that you could have done to prevent it.

If you are involved in an accident, you need to get help right away. Injuries to pedestrians in motor vehicle accidents can be severe, and you should seek medical attention as soon as you can. Even if you don’t think that you are injured, it is important to get a professional’s opinion. This can help if you ultimately decide that you want to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver.

Contacting the police is also a good idea in this situation. Having the police come to the scene of the accident means that there will be an official record of the accident itself and details about what specifically happened. Again, if you want to file a lawsuit down the line, having this report will prevent a “he said she said” situation. You will have evidence that you were not at-fault for the accident.

Finally, contacting a Stratford pedestrian accident lawyer is in your best interest at this time. Such a lawyer will know the ins and outs of the local courthouses and these types of cases. They can ensure that your interests are represented and that if you are entitled to compensation, you can recover it.