At one point or another, everyone is a pedestrian. As the expense of driving and insuring a vehicle rise, more and more people choose to walk to their destinations. As the number of pedestrians increases, so do the number of pedestrian accidents. To see where the Dallas/Fort Worth region ranks in terms of pedestrian collisions nationally, please go to this National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report.

Despite safety improvements, pedestrian accidents are common in Dallas and Fort Worth

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nationally in 2012:

• 69% of pedestrians killed in 2012 were males;
• 73% pedestrian fatalities occur in urban areas;
• 32% of all pedestrian fatalities occurred between 8:00 p.m. and 11:59 p.m.;
• 34% of pedestrians killed had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 g/dL or higher.

Pedestrian Laws in Texas

Both motorists and pedestrians can engage in behaviors that cause collisions. According to state pedestrian law as described by the State of Texas Department of Motor Vehicles -

Drivers must:

exercise due care to avoid a collision with a pedestrian at all times.

yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.

stop or slow down before passing another vehicle stopped in a travel lane until the driver has determined whether that vehicle has stopped for a pedestrian.

in the presence of a school crossing guard, wait for all persons including the guard to completely clear the road before proceeding.

Pedestrians must:

use the sidewalk and the nearest crosswalk, pedestrian bridge or tunnel when possible.

obey official traffic control devices.

walk on the left side of the street facing traffic if no sidewalk is available.

not cross an intersection diagonally unless the intersection is specifically designed for this.

Get information on car crashes from the region's police departments

The Dallas Police Department may provide information on accidents, as does the Fort Worth Police Department.

These departments are good resources to get information after a pedestrian crash.

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles provides information on traffic laws and licensing and insurance requirements.

Go here to learn more about Fort Worth pedestrian accidents and legal resources.

Go here to learn more about Plano pedestrian accidents and legal resources.

Go here to learn more about Frisco pedestrian accidents and legal resources.

Go here to learn more about Addison pedestrian accidents and legal resources.

Go here to learn more about Allen pedestrian accidents and legal resources.

Go here to learn more about Arlington pedestrian accidents and legal resources.

Go here to learn more about Balch Springs pedestrian accidents and legal resources.

Learn about Carrollton pedestrian accidents and legal support here.

Learn about Cedar Hill pedestrian accidents and legal information here.

Go here to read more about Colleyville pedestrian accidents and legal information.

Learn more here about Coppell pedestrian crashes and legal resources.

Go here to learn more about Denton pedestrian collisions and legal information.

Learn more here about DeSoto pedestrian accidents and legal resources.

Go here to read about Duncanville pedestrian collisions and legal information.

Learn more here about Farmers Branch pedestrian accidents and legal resources.

Go here to learn more about Flower Mound pedestrian collisions and legal information.

Learn more here about Garland pedestrian collisions and legal resources.

Learn more here about Grand Prairie pedestrian accidents and legal information.

Go here to learn about Grapevine pedestrian collisions and legal resources.

Learn more here about Irving pedestrian accidents and legal information.

Learn more here about Lewisville pedestrian collisions and legal support resources.

Go here to read about McKinney pedestrian collisions and legal resources.

Go here to learn more about Mesquite pedestrian injuries and legal information.

Learn more about Murphy pedestrian accidents and legal resources here.

Learn more about North Richland Hills pedestrian crashes and legal support here.

Go here to learn about Richardson pedestrian collisions and legal information.

Go here to learn more about Sachse pedestrian accidents and legal resources.

Learn more about Southlake pedestrian accidents and legal information here.

Go here to read about pedestrian collisions and legal support in The Colony.

Learn more here about Wylie pedestrian accidents and legal information.

Common causes of Dallas/Fort Worth pedestrian accidents include:

• a failure by drivers to check for pedestrians in crosswalks;
• drivers failing to stop at stop signs or lights;
• texting and other driver distractions;
• drivers choosing to make turns without paying attention to their surroundings;
• speeding;
• driving under the influence.

When someone is injured in a Dallas/Forth Worth pedestrian accident, what needs to happen next?

When a pedestrian is injured, it is crucial to get appropriate medical treatment, regardless of the financial cost.

The major hospitals in the Dallas/Fort Worth area include:

Baylor University Medical Center - Dallas;

UT Southwestern Medical Center - Dallas;

Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas;

Plaza Medical Center - Fort Worth;

Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital - Fort Worth.

As soon as possible, an injured person should contact their insurance company to find out how medical treatment is covered under their insurance policy. Since insurance policies often have unique provisions to deal with pedestrian-accident injuries, it is important to review the policy and speak with the insurance adjuster to get clarification on coverage.

When a pedestrian accident results in a serious injury or a fatality, it is important to find a Dallas/Fort Worth pedestrian accident attorney

When an injury is serious or a death occurs, the next step is to find an experienced Mullen and Mullen injury attorney to start the financial recovery process by launching an insurance claim. Major injury or wrongful death claims are complicated and can be hard to manage without legal help. Since most personal injury lawyers offer a free initial consultation and work on a contingency basis, meaning that there are no up-front costs and all fees are paid when the claim is settled, there is no downside to speaking with a Mullen & Mullen law firm lawyer right away, to get help for an injured pedestrian.