The Kansas City Star recently published an article with the ten most dangerous streets for pedestrians and bike riders. These streets include Independence Ave in Kansas City, 39th Street, Prospect Avenue, Broadway, Troost Avenue, 31st Street, and Main Street.
As a personal injury lawyer handling cases for pedestrians and bike riders, I found the article interesting. In fact, I have handled cases on five of those ten streets. And, as the article states, these types of crashes often result in severe injury or death. From my experience in these cases and others involving pedestrians or bike riders, here are some things you can do to avoid getting hit by a car while walking or biking.
Be visible.
Stick out like a sore thumb if you can. Wear bright, reflective colors or put lights on your bike or helmet. Anything you can do to increase the chances of being seen by a car will help prevent a collision. This is because the vast majority of car-on-pedestrian or bike crashes are because the driver didn’t see the pedestrian. By calling attention to yourself, you are increasing the odds that the drivers will see you. This can help prevent a crash.
Be predictable.
When navigating traffic on a bike or on foot, sudden or erratic movements greatly increase your chances of getting hit by a car. Once you enter the roadway, take the shortest possible route and stay in one direction if possible. Its much harder for a car to avoid you if you are veering or swerving.
Make eye contact.
Please be careful when navigating traffic on foot or on a bike and if God forbid, you get into a crash, please contact Meyerkord, Russell & Hergott. We’ve handled many cases involving car-on-pedestrian or -bike crashes in the Kansas City area and can help you out.