You Got Hit By a Car As a Pedestrian? Know Your Injury Rights

What You Should Know About Your Injury Rights To Get The Compensation You Deserve

Arizona is a beautiful state to experience on foot. You can walk around crowded urban areas or enjoy a hiking trail. Nonetheless, you have to understand the rules of the road for pedestrians. You must know your rights and responsibilities so that you can walk peacefully. 

Knowing your injury rights is essential when you get hit by a car. Some drivers do not acknowledge the importance of pedestrian safety, but you can have a more satisfactory resolution if you do. 

Our Mesa personal injury lawyers explain below what you should know about your injury rights to get the compensation you deserve.

Things To Know About Jaywalking In Arizona

Jaywalking is not a term you hear in Arizona law, though state law undoubtedly defines restrictions for pedestrians crossing the road. According to Arizona legislation 28-793, pedestrians can cross the street in areas where there are no crosswalks as long as they do it responsibly. Nonetheless, if there’s a crosswalk or traffic-control signal in the street, pedestrians must cross there and nowhere else.

As a pedestrian, you have the responsibility to yield to vehicles on the roadway. In Arizona, you must wait until traffic is clear and safe to cross before doing so. If a pedestrian commits illegal jaywalking and causes a car accident, they may be legally responsible for the accident and unable to recover from injuries they suffer. 

Some cities in Arizona have restrictions regarding jaywalking, so be sure to check them to keep your streetwalking safe. 

When Do I Have The Right-Of-Way As A Pedestrian?

Before discussing the right-of-way, we have to understand two areas of concern: sidewalks and crosswalks.

Some pedestrians in Arizona do not use sidewalks correctly. Many Glendale personal injury lawyers emphasize the importance of using sidewalks because that can make the difference in many cases.

According to Arizona law, pedestrians must use a sidewalk whenever one is available. In other words, pedestrians do not have to walk along the roadway if the sidewalk is there. If there’s no sidewalk, pedestrians must walk on the contrary direction of traffic to avoid accidents.

Crosswalks are another area of concern. When a pedestrian is walking at the crosswalk, the car must stop completely. Drivers should always allow a pedestrian to walk across the crosswalk.

Nevertheless, you should not enter a crosswalk quickly in front of a vehicle if the driver cannot stop completely. Therefore, you have to use some common sense before crossing the crosswalk. 

In short, you should not assume that you have the right of way if you are a pedestrian, especially in Arizona. 

Can I Be At Fault For An Accident?

Yes, you can. This usually happens if the pedestrian is intoxicated when the crash occurs. Intoxicated pedestrians are responsible for many pedestrian injuries and fatalities in Arizona, so be aware of that. Depending on the case, you may be able to safe yourself some issues, but only if you contact a Gilbert injury attorney on time. 

Besides, pedestrians tend to be distracted by cellphones and other electronic devices when walking. If a pedestrian is checking their phone and they walk out in front of a vehicle ignoring pedestrian laws, they could be held responsible for any incident.

Getting To Know Some Statistics

The Arizona Department of Transportation recently declared that there were 1,842 total pedestrian crashes across the state in 2021. 220 pedestrians lost their lives and 1,697 were injured. Sadly, pedestrians do not have strong protection from the force of a car slamming into them, so the injuries they suffer are often severe.

What Can Be Used As Proof?

It is not easy to deal with pedestrian accidents, especially when it comes to deciding fault for insurance or lawsuit motives. If you were injured in a pedestrian accident and you think that the other person was at fault, you will have to offer evidence.

These are some examples of what you can offer: 

• Any video record of the incident
• Photographies at the scene of the accident
• Honest statements from eyewitnesses
• Honest statements from other drivers
• Cell phone records

Contact Mesa Personal Injury Lawyers For More Help

If you or somebody you know has been injured in a pedestrian or car accident caused by the actions of somebody else, contact the expert lawyers at Mesa Injury Lawyers for help. Our experienced team will help you get through this and obtain the resolution you deserve.

Mesa Injury Lawyer
1731 West Baseline Road Suite #103
Mesa, AZ 85202
Tel: 602-600-6001
Enail: [email protected]
Website: injurylawyersmesa.com