Hawaii has always had more pedestrian accidents than many states in the country. This issue has been baffling for regular citizens and politicians of Hawaii for years.
It seems they have tried almost everything to decrease the number of pedestrian accidents in Hawaii. However, all those efforts have been in vain.
There have been campaigns for public awareness. And laws have been passed to punish drivers driving with their mobile phones or electronic devices.
So what is really going on? And why is this such an issue in Hawaii?
Well, there are a couple of causes of pedestrian accidents in Hawaii. Some of these causes are not limited to the following:
- Distracted Drivers
Most pedestrian accidents happen when drivers are not paying attention to the road. Using a smartphone, texting, calling, emailing, or adjusting an AC are some of the things that make drivers not pay close attention.
When drivers take their eyes off the road even for a few seconds, pedestrians nearby are put at risk. Working with a Honolulu pedestrian accident attorney who knows the causes of pedestrian accidents is important.
A good lawyer will use this as a starting point when investigating your pedestrian accident to determine what really happened and who needs to be responsible.
- Intersecting or Crossing a Roadway Improperly
Even in a right-of-way situation, pedestrians can intersect or cross a roadway improperly. An individual can try to cross the street somewhere other than the jaywalking or designated walkway. Alternately, they can try to cross the roadway in the last minutes before the light changes and in front of the oncoming traffic.
When they try to do so, drivers can have little to no time to do anything or react. This causes a serious accident, resulting in serious injuries.
- Dark Clothing
The combination of dark clothing and jaywalking at nighttime is very dangerous. Crosswalks are usually illuminated enough to allow drivers to spot pedestrians while in the dark.
A pedestrian crossing in non-intersection at nighttime might be hard to spot, particularly if they are on clothing, which conceals them further.
It is very imperative for drivers to always have eyes on the road and on pedestrians. Some situations, like damaged crosswalk signals, broken signage, and construction, may force pedestrians to cross in an awkward place.
- Disobeying Traffic Signals or Signs
You might think that a reckless driver running stoplights results in pedestrian accidents in Hawaii. You would be wrong. As a matter of fact, disobeying traffic signals or signs are not as common as you think.
A certain study shows that about 18% of stop signal accidents usually involve a car running through the intersection.
Surprisingly, many drivers stop, but then they either don’t see pedestrians or react on time. Those kinds of failures to yield a pedestrian accident represents about 74% of all crashes at intersections, which stop signs control.
Final Take!
Many pedestrians are at great risk of accidents even when they are cautious. But pedestrians may reduce the risks of death or serious injuries by walking on sidewalks and only crossing the road when the traffic is clear and the light is green.