Monument Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

In Monument, pedestrians have rules to follow as well as other drivers. To make sure you are aware of these laws, here are a few helpful tips. All drivers must use caution to avoid collisions with pedestrians on the roadways however, pedestrians also have to obey any traffic control devices and signs applicable to them at the time unless specifically instructed otherwise by a police officer. When crossing the street outside of a crosswalk, pedestrians must yield to drivers as they always have the right of way when no crosswalk is present.

When a pedestrian is at a light and the “Don’t Walk” sign is illuminated, pedestrians are required to remain on the sidewalks and out of the roadway as drivers have the right of way at that time. While the “Walk” sign is illuminated, drivers must give the right of way to pedestrians who are in the crosswalk even if the driver has a green light. These decisions are made quickly and not always with complete regard to the laws.

Drivers also may not have seen you as a pedestrian crossing the street as people are much harder to spot than cars and can appear out of nowhere if the driver’s line of sight was blocked by a building, sign, tree, parked car or other obstruction. This is a very common thing in downtown areas due to the heavy foot traffic and the limited visibility at corners and intersections.

It is especially dangerous to be crossing busy roads at night when it is dark outside. Many intersections are not well lit and it can be very hard to see pedestrians at night when other vehicle headlights are already shining in the driver’s eyes, so make sure to take extra caution in times where visibility is drastically reduced. Wearing reflective clothing while walking at night is recommended, even more so if walking on roads without sidewalks at night.