A pedestrian accident in Dallas caused by a careless driver often leaves a person with serious injuries, unexpected medical bills, and worry about how to move forward. If you or someone close to you is in this position, you’ve likely felt the sudden disruption such an accident creates. Families often find themselves searching for answers about the common causes of pedestrian accidents in Texas, because knowing why these crashes happen helps explain the harm and loss that follow.
In nearby Richardson, many families also deal with pedestrian injury cases. These cases often involve crosswalk violations, speeding in school zones, or drivers who fail to yield. Legal representation becomes especially important because insurance companies frequently try to reduce or deny valid claims. Having a lawyer on your side means someone is focused on protecting your rights and holding the responsible party accountable.
If you’ve been hurt in a pedestrian accident, reach out to an experienced Dallas pedestrian accident lawyer. They can answer your questions, help you understand your options, and advocate for full compensation on your behalf.
What Are the Leading Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Texas?
Pedestrian crashes in Texas often share common themes. Drivers make poor choices, ignore traffic laws, or fail to account for people on foot. You need a lawyer to help hold negligent drivers accountable. These errors create dangerous conditions in busy neighborhoods, school zones, and highways.
Distracted Driving
Cell phone use remains a major factor in crashes. A driver checking a text message can drift into a crosswalk in seconds. Eating, adjusting navigation, or even talking to passengers divides attention and leaves less time to react when someone steps into the street.
Speeding in Residential and School Zones
Neighborhood streets and school areas require slower speeds for safety. When drivers ignore these limits, they reduce the time needed to stop for kids or adults crossing. High speed also increases the severity of injuries if a collision occurs.
Failure to Yield at Crosswalks
Texas law requires drivers to stop for pedestrians in marked crosswalks, but many don’t. Some roll through right turns on red lights without checking for people walking. Others try to beat the light change, ignoring the person already crossing.
Impaired Driving
Alcohol and drugs impair reaction time and decision making. A drunk or drugged driver may not notice someone crossing the road until it’s too late. Even prescription medications sometimes affect awareness and judgment, and many of these pedestrian accident cases go to court when insurance companies dispute fault or damages.
Poor Visibility and Weather Conditions
Fog, heavy rain, and dark evenings increase the risk of a driver not seeing a pedestrian. When drivers fail to use headlights or continue driving at unsafe speeds during these times, pedestrians face added danger.
Pedestrian accidents rarely happen by chance. In most cases, a driver ignored traffic laws or acted carelessly. Families often seek accountability through legal claims, which can help cover medical expenses and long-term needs.
When Do Most Pedestrian Accidents Occur in Texas?
Timing often plays a major role in crash patterns. Traffic flow, lighting conditions, and driver behavior all affect when pedestrian accidents take place, and you have to file a personal injury claim within the Texas deadline to protect your right to compensation.
Rush Hour Traffic Patterns
Morning and evening commutes create crowded roads. Drivers rushing to or from work sometimes ignore crosswalks or make quick turns, putting pedestrians at risk.
Nighttime and Low-Light Conditions
More than half of fatal pedestrian accidents occur after dark. Poor lighting makes it harder for drivers to spot people crossing, especially when crosswalks lack signals or reflective paint.
Weekend Evening Hours
Friday and Saturday nights often bring higher numbers of impaired drivers. Combined with heavier pedestrian activity near entertainment areas, the risk of accidents increases.
School Zone Times
Before and after school hours, kids often cross busy streets. Even with crossing guards and warning signs, distracted or impatient drivers sometimes ignore the slower speed limits.
Patterns show that accidents happen more often when visibility is low or traffic is heavy. Awareness of these times helps both pedestrians and drivers take extra care.
Where Are Pedestrian Accidents Most Common in Texas?
Location also influences pedestrian risk. Some environments naturally expose people on foot to higher danger, and settlements are calculated based on factors like the severity of injuries, medical costs, and how the accident impacts daily life.
Urban Intersections and Crosswalks
Busy city streets see the highest numbers of pedestrian crashes. Turning vehicles, crowded sidewalks, and multiple lanes of traffic increase the odds of driver mistakes.
Highway On-Ramps and Off-Ramps
Pedestrians don’t usually belong near highways, but bus stops and sidewalks sometimes sit close to access points. High speeds at ramps create deadly risks when drivers fail to look for people walking.
Parking Lots and Shopping Centers
Even though vehicles move more slowly in parking lots, drivers backing out of spaces or rushing through aisles often miss pedestrians. Children are especially vulnerable in these areas.
School Zones and Residential Areas
Kids playing, walking home, or riding bikes often move unpredictably. Drivers who don’t slow down in residential areas or school zones put children in direct danger.
Accidents occur most often in areas where vehicles and pedestrians interact closely. When drivers ignore laws in these settings, the results are frequently tragic.
Texas Traffic Laws Protecting Pedestrians
Texas pedestrian laws provides specific protections for people walking. Drivers must follow these rules to help reduce accidents and injuries.
Right-of-Way Laws Under Texas Transportation Code
Drivers must stop and yield when a pedestrian is in a marked or unmarked crosswalk. Failure to do so violates state law and creates liability when injuries occur.
School Zone Speed Regulations
Texas requires slower speeds in school areas during designated times. Signs and flashing lights remind drivers of these limits. Ignoring them increases the chance of hitting a child crossing the road.
Crosswalk and Intersection Rules
Pedestrians have the right to cross with signals, and drivers must yield. Even when a person crosses outside a crosswalk, drivers still carry a duty to use reasonable care.
Driver Duties When Approaching Pedestrians
Texas law directs drivers to exercise caution when approaching anyone on foot. That duty applies not only at intersections but also in parking lots, sidewalks, and residential areas.
What Should You Do After a Pedestrian Accident in Texas?
The steps you take immediately after a pedestrian accident matter a great deal. Injuries often leave people in pain, confused, or unsure of what to do next, but acting quickly can protect your health and strengthen any legal claim you decide to pursue, and knowing mistakes to avoid can help keep your rights protected.
Immediate Medical Attention
Your health always comes first. Call 911 or ask someone nearby to do it for you. Emergency responders can check your condition and decide whether you need hospital care. Even if you feel okay, get examined by a doctor as soon as possible.
Many serious injuries, such as concussions, internal bleeding, or soft tissue damage, don’t show symptoms right away. A medical record created right after the accident also serves as clear evidence that the crash caused your injuries.
Documenting the Scene and Gathering Evidence
If you’re physically able, or if someone can help, gather information at the scene. Take photos of the car that hit you, the license plate, the intersection or roadway, skid marks, traffic signals, and your injuries. If you see witnesses, ask for their names and contact information.
These details often prove what really happened when the driver or their insurance company later tries to shift blame.
Reporting to Law Enforcement
Always call the police after a pedestrian accident. The responding officer will create an official report that documents the driver’s information, witness statements, and a summary of the crash.
That police report can be a key piece of evidence when you pursue a claim.
Contacting Insurance Companies
Texas requires drivers to carry liability insurance. After a pedestrian accident, the at-fault driver’s insurer usually becomes responsible for paying damages. However, insurance companies often try to downplay injuries or pressure victims into quick, low settlements.
Be careful with what you say to adjusters. Don’t provide recorded statements or accept early offers without legal advice.
Preserving Physical Evidence
Keep the clothing and shoes you wore during the accident, even if they’re damaged. Store broken glasses, phones, or any personal items affected by the crash.
These items sometimes support your case by showing the force of impact or the circumstances of the collision.
Following Up with Medical Treatment
Don’t skip doctor’s appointments or physical therapy sessions. Insurance companies often argue that missing treatment means your injuries aren’t serious.
Consistent care helps you recover and shows the lasting effect the accident has on your life.
Speaking with an Attorney
Pedestrian accident cases involve more than medical records and police reports. An attorney can gather surveillance footage, hire accident reconstruction experts, and communicate directly with insurers so you don’t have to, and can also explain can I sue after a pedestrian accident to recover compensation for your injuries.
Legal help ensures the driver and their insurance company are held accountable instead of leaving you to deal with everything alone.
Understanding Texas Pedestrian Accident Liability
Liability in pedestrian cases often involves multiple factors. Texas law outlines how fault and responsibility work.
Comparative Negligence Laws in Texas
Texas follows a modified comparative fault system. If a pedestrian is found partly at fault, their recovery may be reduced. However, as long as they are less than 51 percent responsible, they can still seek damages.
Driver Responsibility and Insurance Requirements
Drivers must carry liability insurance to cover harm caused by negligence. When they break traffic laws and hurt pedestrians, their insurance company becomes financially responsible.
Municipal Liability for Dangerous Conditions
Poorly maintained sidewalks, broken signals, or missing crosswalk markings sometimes contribute to accidents. Cities and counties may share liability if they failed to correct these hazards.
Property Owner Responsibilities
Businesses and property owners with unsafe walkways or parking lots may also face liability if conditions contribute to a pedestrian crash.
Liability rules ensure that those who create unsafe conditions, whether drivers, cities, or property owners, can be held financially accountable.
How Our Attorneys Can Help
AMS Law Group supports clients through every stage of a pedestrian accident claim. Our attorneys handle the legal work so families can focus on recovery, and every victim should know that timely action and detailed evidence strengthen the chances of full compensation.
Investigating Your Pedestrian Accident Case
We gather police reports, witness statements, surveillance footage, and expert testimony to build a strong case.
Negotiating with Insurance Companies
Insurance companies often undervalue claims. We push back to secure fair payment that reflects the true cost of your injuries and losses.
Calculating Fair Compensation for Your Injuries
We work with medical professionals and economists to assess current and future costs, including medical care, lost income, and long-term needs.
Representing You in Court if Necessary
Most claims settle outside court, but we prepare every case as if trial may happen. This approach shows insurance companies that we won’t back down.
Handling All Legal Paperwork and Deadlines
Pedestrian accident cases involve strict deadlines and detailed forms. Our attorneys manage these tasks to keep your claim on track.
With experienced legal help, you don’t have to face insurance companies or court procedures alone.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pedestrian Accidents in TX
How long do I have to file a pedestrian accident claim in Texas?
Most cases must be filed within two years of the accident. Missing this deadline usually means losing the right to recover damages.
Can I still recover compensation if I was partially at fault for the accident?
Yes, Texas law allows recovery if you are less than 51 percent at fault. However, your share of responsibility reduces the amount you can recover.
What types of damages can I recover in a Texas pedestrian accident case?
You may recover costs for medical treatment, lost income, future care, and pain from your injuries. Each case depends on the facts and available evidence.
Do I need a lawyer for a pedestrian accident claim in Texas?
Yes. Insurance companies often take advantage of people without legal representation. A lawyer helps level the playing field.
How much does it cost to hire a pedestrian accident attorney?
AMS Law Group handles pedestrian accident claims on a contingency fee basis. You don’t pay upfront, and legal fees come only if we recover money for you.
Contact Our Pedestrian Accident Attorneys in Texas Now
Pedestrian accidents cause long-lasting harm for individuals and families. You don’t have to take on insurance companies alone. AMS Law Group fights to hold negligent drivers accountable and works to secure financial recovery that helps with medical bills, lost income, and future needs.
Contact AMS Law Group today to schedule a free consultation. Our attorneys will listen to your story, explain your options, and help you take the next step toward justice.