Walking is a free and relatively efficient form of transportation. Walking can be a social activity where people reconnect with their spouses after a long day at work or a means of unwinding and processing what happens during the day.
Whether someone needs to take their pet poodle on a walk when they come home from work in the evening or they jog with friends to stay in shape, they have to keep an eye on their surroundings. Pedestrians must share the road with vehicles. Even if they stay on sidewalks for the most part, they may need to cross streets occasionally.
Pedestrians can easily end up with serious injuries if they get struck by a vehicle. There are many locations where pedestrians can get hurt in a crash, but three places are riskier than average for pedestrians.
Parking lots
Even though everyone knows that vehicles and pedestrians have to share parking lots, drivers often make poor choices near businesses. Many motorists admit to using their mobile phones in parking lots even though they might not do the same thing out on the road. The risk of distraction and the high density of both vehicles and pedestrians can make parking lots particularly dangerous places.
Where driveways meet the road
People actively driving typically pay close attention to their surroundings. However, those who are very close to home are often less cautious than those on unfamiliar roads. Someone just backing out of their driveway to begin their morning commute might not watch as closely for pedestrians as they should. Particularly if someone backs out of their driveway or has a large vehicle, they may fail to spot pedestrians nearby until it is too late.
In urban areas without crosswalks
Many of the worst pedestrian collisions take place in urban areas even though rural areas have higher speed limits. Locations with crosswalks at least give pedestrians a visible place to cross the street. Attempting to cross busy roads without a crosswalk can be particularly risky.
If pedestrians do end up injured in crashes caused by unsafe drivers, they may have the option of seeking compensation. Both insurance and lawsuit proceeds could help people defray the expenses inspired by a pedestrian wreck.