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 Orlando, Daytona Beach, and Melbourne 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 Orlando, Daytona Beach, and Melbourne

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 Florida

Both motorists and pedestrians can engage in behaviors that cause collisions. According to Florida pedestrian law -

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:

• No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield.
• Whenever any vehicle is stopped at a marked crosswalk or at any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, the driver of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass such stopped vehicle.
• Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.
• Between adjacent intersections at which traffic control signals are in operation, pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a marked crosswalk.
• No pedestrian shall, except in a marked crosswalk, cross a roadway at any other place than by a route at right angles to the curb or by the shortest route to the opposite curb.

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

The Orlando Police Department, Daytona Beach Police Department, and Melbourne Police Department offer information on accidents. The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles provides information on traffic and safety laws.

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

Common causes of Orlando, Daytona Beach, and Melbourne 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 an Orlando, Daytona Beach, and Melbourne 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:

• Florida Hospital Orlando
• Orlando Regional Medical Center
• Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center - Daytona Beach
• Halifax Health Medical Center - Daytona Beach
• Holmes Regional Medical Center - Melbourne
• Wuesthoff Medical Center - Melbourne

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 pedestrian accident attorney

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