Change location v

Staying safe as a pedestrian

While everyone expects motorists to exercise care and caution when they are behind the wheel, the same expectations do not always apply to pedestrians.

Since they are not in control of a moving vehicle, walkers, runners and other pavement users do not necessarily feel the same levels of responsibility that drivers do.

Where motorists are constantly on the lookout for possible hazards, pedestrians tend to wander the streets without paying much attention, often listening to their iPods, using their mobile phones or chatting to their friends.

In most cases this is a perfectly safe and logical way to use the pavement, but there are some circumstances where pedestrians could exercise extra caution.

Pedestrian injury is a common consequence of many fatal car accidents, which may suggest that there is a need for those going by foot to take additional care when crossing roads and walking or running at night.

On Sunday (June 24) a 50-year-old man was seriously injured in Clarence Town at approximately 06:25 in the morning.

He was struck by a 29-year-old man driving a Hyundai when he was crossing Clarence Town Road.

The driver of the Hyundai stopped immediately and a passing pedestrian – who happened to be an off-duty senior constable – performed first aid until an ambulance arrived on the scene, according to the police report.

The injured passenger is in a stable condition at John Hunter Hospital.

Another pedestrian was involved in an incident on Friday (June 22), only this time the male did not survive.

The fatal car accident occurred in Candelo, on the Candelo Bega Road at approximately 12:15 in the afternoon.

According to police, an elderly man was crossing the road when he was hit by a four wheel drive.

His injuries were fatal and he passed away at the scene of the accident.

Both of these incidents serve as sombre reminders of the dangers of being a pedestrian. Although motorists are regularly reminded to slow down, keep their eyes open for hazards and exercise extra caution, pedestrians also have risks as they navigate roads.

To stay out of a moving vehicle’s path, it is important to take the time to look carefully before crossing the road and to try and use official crossings when available.

However, sometimes there are situations when despite your best road safety efforts a car may be going too fast or driving without caution.

In these contexts, you may like to know that pedestrians can also seek car accident compensation.

There are lawyers in Sydney that can help you make a claim on a no win no fee basis.

About Us
Gerard Malouf & Partners have provided friendly, experienced legal advice to communities across Australia for over 35 years. Our Personal Injury Lawyers have taken on ten’s of thousands of cases and we are proud to have won billions of dollars for our clients.
Lawyers
Meet the diverse and dynamic team of compensation lawyers and supporting staff that have made this all happen below. Our multi-lingual team can discuss your claims in Arabic, Assyrian, Turkish, Greek, Italian, French, Serbian, Croatian, Armenian, Mandarin, Hindi, Punjabi or Malayalam.
Resources
Meet the diverse and dynamic team of compensation lawyers and supporting staff that have made this all happen below. Our multi-lingual team can discuss your claims in Arabic, Assyrian, Turkish, Greek, Italian, French, Serbian, Croatian, Armenian, Mandarin, Hindi, Punjabi or Malayalam.

Your location is currently: