Savannah Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Assist Injured Walkers

Determined representation for the most vulnerable victims of vehicle accidents

When you walk along the streets of Savannah, you may follow all safety precautions by using crosswalks and sidewalks, wearing highly visible clothing, and walking against the flow of traffic whenever possible. Unfortunately, drivers aren’t always on the lookout for pedestrians, and their inattentiveness can lead to serious accidents. If you or a loved one was struck by a car, you may have suffered debilitating injuries. Unlike drivers, their passengers, motorcyclists, and even bicyclists, pedestrians have little to no protection in the event of accidents. That puts victims at extreme risk when they’re involved in collisions with cars, trucks, and SUVs.

At Owens & Mulherin Injury Lawyers, our Savannah pedestrian accident attorneys want to help you focus on getting better. We have nearly two decades of experience fighting for the rights of injured victims in the city and throughout Georgia, and we’ll work hard to answer your questions every step of the way.

Georgia Department of Transportation reports alarming spike in pedestrian deaths

In the wake of a sharp 54 percent increase statewide in the number of pedestrian fatalities from 2014 to 2017, when a total of 260 people were killed, the Georgia Department of Transportation has initiated the SEE & BE SEEN program to make it safer to walk in Georgia. Their public education campaign includes helpful tips for pedestrian safety, such as these:

Make yourself visible at night

More than 80 percent of pedestrian fatalities occur in overnight hours. Wearing dark clothes when it’s dark out makes you less visible to motorists who may not be alert to begin with, given the hour.

Pay greater attention when walking

About one-third of pedestrian fatalities are the fault of the walker. Don’t text or browse on a smartphone while walking, especially across an intersection.

Cross at the crosswalks

About 90 percent of pedestrian fatalities occur outside of crosswalks, so staying within these designated areas is essential.

Georgia DOT is also urging motorists to “Drive Alert” by observing the following rules:

Yield to pedestrians

At least one-third of pedestrian fatalities happen because motorists fail to yield the right of way.

Slow down

The fatality rate for pedestrians struck by a motor vehicle going 40 miles per hour or faster is 90 percent.

Georgia’s streets belong to all users. Everyone must be aware of the dangers and act with appropriate care to avoid accidents.

Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents

Drivers have a responsibility to respect the space and rights of everyone who shares roads and sidewalks, including pedestrians. When motorists engage in the following behaviors, the risk of an accident increases significantly:

Driving while distracted

Distracted driving is an epidemic in Georgia and throughout the country. When drivers aren’t paying attention to the road or what’s going on in front of them, they’re more likely to cause accidents — including pedestrian accidents. Our legal team will investigate your pedestrian accident to determine if the person who hit you was texting, talking on the phone, or sending emails before the accident occurred.

Running red lights and stop signs

If your accident occurred in a crosswalk or at an intersection, there’s a good chance that the driver who hit you failed to stop at a stop sign or red light. Pedestrians have the right of way at intersections with stop signs, including four-way stops, as well as traffic light–equipped intersections during crossing signals. Unfortunately, drivers sometimes ignore traffic laws at intersections, leading to serious accidents.

Driving while intoxicated or drowsy

When drivers are intoxicated or sleepy, you may be at risk even when you’re walking on the sidewalk with plenty of distance between you and the road. Drivers who aren’t mentally or physically capable of driving safely due to being impaired or fatigued are more likely to drift into the path of pedestrians. When we take on your claim, we’ll work to determine if the driver who hit you was under the influence or exhausted at the time of the accident.

Whether you were hit by a vehicle on a sidewalk, crosswalk, shoulder, in a parking lot, driveway, or on a worksite, we want to protect your rights. Let us put our two decades of experience and success to work for you and your family.

Helping you get compensation for your injuries

Your pedestrian accident may have caused you to suffer serious complications that make it difficult or impossible for you to go back to work or live a normal life. Some of the expenses victims like you often face after pedestrian accidents include:

Medical bills
Lost wages
Physical therapy
Prescription medication
Surgery

Let our Savannah attorneys help with your pedestrian accident injuries

At Owens & Mulherin Injury Lawyers, we know that you may be struggling if you cannot work due to the harm you sustained in a pedestrian accident. Our legal team believes that innocent victims should never have to pay for injuries that were caused by someone else’s negligence, and we’re ready to investigate your claim.

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(912) 212-2100

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