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 La Crosse and Eau Claire regions rank in terms of pedestrian collisions nationally, please go to this National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report.

Despite safety improvements, pedestrian accidents are common in La Crosse and Eau Claire

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 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 Wisconsin

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

Drivers must:

• Yield to pedestrians when crossing a sidewalk or entering an alley or driveway
• Yield to pedestrians who have started crossing at an intersection or crosswalk on a "walk" signal or a green light, if there is no walk signal
• Yield to pedestrians who are crossing the highway within a marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection where there are no traffic lights or control signals
• Not overtake and pass any vehicle that stops at an intersection or crosswalk to permit a pedestrian or bicyclist to cross the roadway safely

Pedestrians must:

• Yield to drivers when crossing a road where there is no intersection or crosswalk or where the pedestrian does not have a green or "walk" signal and where vehicles have a green signal
• Not suddenly move into the path of a closely approaching vehicle that does not have sufficient time to yield for a pedestrian​
• Walk on and along the left side of a highway when not walking on a sidewalk. Note: This law does not apply to bicycles. Bicycles operate under the same laws as other legal vehicles on the road and should always stay on the right side of the road.

Get information on pedestrian crashes from the police departments in the region

The LaCrosse Police Department and the Eau Claire Police Department offer information on accidents. The Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles provides information on traffic and safety laws.

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

Common causes of La Crosse and Eau Claire 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 La Crosse or Eau Claire 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 area include:

Gundersen Health System - La Crosse;

Mayo Clinic Health System - La Crosse;

Sacred Heart Hospital - Eau Claire;

Mayo Clinic Health System - Eau Claire.

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 an experienced Wisconsin pedestrian accident attorney

After a serious crash, it is crucial to get help from an experienced Wisconsin injury attorney who understands the local regulations and legal standards, who knows how insurance policies work, and who can handle all aspects of an insurance claim so the injured person can focus on recovery. If someone is killed in a collision, a Wisconsin wrongful death lawyer will launch a claim that will begin the process of financial recovery for the family members left behind. Learn more here about what a La Crosse - Eau Claire pedestrian accident attorney can do to help.