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 Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee

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

• 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 accidents from the Milwaukee Police Department

The Milwaukee Police Department offers information on accidents. You can ask for a copy of an accident report here. 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 injury accident.

Common causes of Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee 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:

Froedtert Hospital;

Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center;

Columbia St. Mary's Hospital;

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.

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 Milwaukee pedestrian accident attorney

When an injury is serious or a death occurs, the next step is to find an experienced Milwaukee pedestrian 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 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 Milwaukee injury attorney right away, to get help for an injured pedestrian.