Whether headed to work, out for a meal or taking your dog for a stroll, Florida’s warm weather and walkable districts bring pedestrians and vehicles into close contact every day. Unfortunately, that also means serious crashes happen with alarming frequency, from busy arterials in Fort Lauderdale to neighborhood roads in smaller towns. Understanding why these collisions occur, what injuries tend to follow and how to evaluate liability can help injured pedestrians and their families make informed decisions after a crash.
Common reasons a vehicle hits a pedestrian
Most pedestrian collisions are preventable. They often occur when drivers fail to anticipate people crossing at intersections, entering crosswalks or walking along the shoulder. Common causes often include:
- Distracted driving, including texting, navigation use or in-car screen interaction
- Failure to yield at marked or unmarked crosswalks and during turns at intersections
- Speeding or driving too fast for rain, glare or nighttime visibility
- Impaired driving due to alcohol, drugs or certain prescription medications
- Backing up without looking, especially in parking lots and residential driveways
- Poor roadway design or maintenance, such as inadequate lighting, faded crosswalk markings or obstructed sightlines
After identifying the likely cause, the next step is to gather evidence in case you need to hold the driver accountable for the cost of injuries. This can include photos of the scene, witness statements and any available video footage.
Common pedestrian injuries
A pedestrian has little protection against the vehicle, so injuries can be severe even at relatively low speeds. Emergency treatment is often needed for head trauma, internal bleeding and orthopedic damage, while rehabilitation can involve months of therapy.
Frequent injuries include traumatic brain injury, concussions, spinal injuries, broken hips, fractured legs and arms, pelvic fractures, facial fractures and serious lacerations with scarring. Many people also experience psychological harm, including anxiety about walking near traffic.
Liability considerations in Florida
Liability often turns on whether the driver breached a duty of care, whether the pedestrian contributed to the incident and what evidence supports each side. It is arguably more important than ever to gather evidence to support your case. This is because the driver (or, more likely, their insurance company) will likely try to place blame on the victim. If they are able to establish that the victim was more than half at fault, they can get out of responsibility for the accident. This is a relatively recent change to Florida law.
Pedestrian accidents in Florida are often the result of preventable driving behavior and they can cause life-altering injuries. If you are evaluating a claim, focus on the cause, document injuries thoroughly and assess all potential sources of liability and insurance coverage. This combination is often the difference between a frustrating process and a fair outcome.