A young girl was hit by a car at the István Út crosswalk this morning.
According to the available information, a man was driving his car on István Út, when he hit a girl at the István Út crosswalk.
The pedestrian, who suffered minor injuries, was taken into hospital by the ambulance.
Ten tips to reduce pedestrian related traffic accidents:
- Put your phone away. Do not walk near roadways, in crosswalks, or in parking lots with your head down focused on texting or playing games.
- Stay in your vehicle. If your car becomes disabled on the roadway, stay inside it whenever possible. Wait for help to arrive. Drivers are more likely to see your car than they are to see you standing outside of it. If you must leave your vehicle, please remember to turn on your emergency flashers, and keep a constant lookout for oncoming traffic.
- Look both ways before you cross the street. Do not assume because the crosswalk signal flashes ok to go that traffic coming either direction has stopped for you to cross.
- Make sure you are visible. Just because you can see a vehicle, does not mean the driver can see you. This is especially true at night. Walk in lighted, pedestrian designated areas whenever possible. Wear light coloured or reflective clothing at night. Be aware of obstacles that may make it hard for a driver to see you such as bushes or parked cars.
- Avoid alcohol consumption. Almost half of car crashes that involve a pedestrian casualty also involved alcohol consumption – a third of which, the alcohol consumption was on the part of the pedestrian. Remember that alcohol can impair reflexes and decision-making ability both behind the wheel as well as on your feet.
- Use crosswalks. Even if you do not see any cars coming, it is best to wait to cross the street until you are at a crosswalk. Crosswalks are where drivers are most likely to expect to see pedestrians and are the safest place to enter the roadway.
- Make eye contact. Even when you have the right of way, never assume the driver will allow you to go first. Making eye contact with the driver will ensure that they see you before you enter the roadway.
- Walk on the sidewalk. If a sidewalk is unavailable, you should walk on the shoulder of the road and face traffic.
- Beware of parked vehicles. Parked vehicles can be dangerous themselves. Ensure the car is parked and the driver is not about to drive. Do not enter roadways near parked vehicles – they can obstruct other drivers’ views of pedestrians.
- Walk defensively. Always be aware of your surroundings and expect the unexpected. Use particular caution when walking across a driveway or alleyway where drivers may not be expecting to see pedestrians.
