When people think of traffic accidents, they usually think of cars crashing into other cars or striking pedestrians or cars striking other types of motorized vehicles such as motorbikes. But another type of accident to consider occurs between bicyclists and pedestrians. Thousands of pedestrians are injured or even killed by bicyclists every year. According to the Federal Highway Administration, these numbers are ticking up faster than pedestrians killed by motor vehicles. Most of these accidents occur in urban areas. Here’s a breakdown of some of the hazards that affect pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
Distraction
Distraction is a main reason for pedestrian/bicyclist accidents. Both the bicyclist and the pedestrian can be so distracted that they don’t see each other. The pedestrian can be staring at their phone, or the bicyclist can have on headphones that block out the environment. The attention of both bicyclist and pedestrian can be caught by any number of things, including sudden sounds and unexpected activities.
Poor Visibility
Another cause of bicycle and pedestrian mishaps is that one or both parties simply can’t see each other even if they’re not distracted. The reason for poor visibility can range from poor street lighting after the sun goes down, objects that interfere with the parties seeing each other and weather that’s bad enough to affect visibility.
Badly Maintained Infrastructure
Infrastructure that isn’t well-maintained is a hazard even to solo bicyclists and pedestrians. When bicyclists and pedestrians are in the same area, broken sidewalks, roads full of potholes, broken streetlights and inadequate road signs raise the risks of a collision and injuries significantly. Property owners as well as local governments may be liable for injuries caused by hazardous sidewalks.
Failing to Yield
Both bicyclists and pedestrians may believe that they have the right of way when they find themselves in the same place at the same time. This is another threat to bicyclist and pedestrian safety. By the way, pedestrians have the right of way in most cases, as bicycles are treated as any other type of vehicle.
Failure to Follow Traffic Laws
As bicycles are considered vehicles on par with cars and trucks, bicyclists must follow traffic laws. This not only means yielding to pedestrians but stopping at red lights and stop signs. They also need to be mindful of road signs that warn of slippery surfaces, difficult curves or working highway crews.
Careless Behavior
Like car drivers, bicyclists can also speed and perform recklessly when they’re on the road or the sidewalk. They can even ride their bikes when they’re drunk or on drugs. Under these circumstances, the injuries to pedestrians can be severe.
What Can Be Done
Fortunately, many things can be done to lower the risk of collisions between bicyclists and pedestrians. These precautions are the responsibility of bicyclists, technology, local governments and the community. Technology can create similar warning and avoidance systems that are now found on many cars for bicyclists. The municipality can improve infrastructure and make sure that it’s well-kept. The community can promote awareness of the risks of bicycle/pedestrian collisions and encourage the local government to invest in better road safety.