Turning drivers need to look for pedestrians
On Behalf of The Law Offices of Goldfine & Bowles, P.C.
November 23, 2020
Pedestrians often trust the walk symbols when crossing the street. In theory, they should work perfectly; when the light turns green, traffic can move parallel to the pedestrians and everyone can cross the street safely.
However, there is one major issue with these symbols, which is that drivers who are turning left or right will still have a green light telling them that they can turn when the way is clear. If they choose to turn at the same time that the pedestrian crosses the road, they risk an accident.
Children in danger
This happened to one woman when she was crossing a street with her kids. The driver who was turning left apparently never looked for pedestrians in the crosswalk. She just looked for oncoming traffic. When there were no cars, she started her turn, just as the other woman and her children were in the middle of the lane.
In that case, the driver was able to slam on the brakes and avoid a crash. She even apologized, showing that she knew it was her fault. But the woman crossing the road just kept thinking about how the accident had almost killed her children. It really shook her up to know that she could properly follow the rules of the road and still be exposed to that type of danger.
Seeking compensation
Technically, failure to spot pedestrians can’t be used as an excuse by drivers who are not observant enough. Unfortunately, these types of accidents do happen all the time. If you get injured, you may be able to seek compensation for your losses. An attorney can make sure that the process is fair.