Most road accidents are caused by distractions. And while your mind may go to drivers who text, eat, apply makeup or read while driving, the responsibility sometimes lies on the shoulders of distracted pedestrians.

According to the latest statistics, there was a 3% increase in pedestrian accidents in recent years. The liability during such accidents is split up between distracted drivers and distracted pedestrians.

Why Distracted Pedestrians Are Dangerous

Talking or texting on the phone while walking may seem harmless. However, it’s one of the most dangerous activities you could indulge in while walking on foot on the road. The practice disrupts your focus, not allowing you to see a car zooming right ahead of you.

Our brains are designed to focus on one task at a time. This is important to remember, especially when you’re on the road. When you try to multitask. You lose your sense of direction, your memory becomes unclear, and you run into accidents. This is known as inattentive blindness—not being able to focus because of a lack of attention.

So when pedestrians aren’t focused on the road, they often run into other people, doors, debris, or walk on to the road without realizing that there’s a fast vehicle approaching. These incidents may cause you to suffer from broken bones, bruises, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, and concussions.

If you habitually walk, you must pay attention to the road you’re walking on and exercise due diligence.

Pedestrians need to be careful and avoid crossing roads while distracted. If you are distracted as a pedestrian and walk right in front of a motorist, you’ll be held liable for any injuries and/or damage that occur.

The Responsibility Of the Driver

To put it simply: don’t text while driving. If you’re distracted, you can wreak havoc on the road. You will not only hurt yourself, but also motorists and pedestrians. Regardless of who else was distracted, if you were not focusing and manage to run into someone, the liability of the accident will fall upon you.

Exercising safe driving practices and being a cautious driver can save a lot of people from accidents that might otherwise occur.

If you’re in search of driving courses in Arizona, you can get in touch with us at Jacob’s Driving School.

Our experts conduct driving classes at competitive rates. You can book your lesson today!

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