Common Injuries From Pedestrian Accidents And Road Traffic Accident Claims Explained

In this guide, we will discuss the different types of injuries from pedestrian accidents that could be suffered. Injuries can range from minor, such as minor bone fractures, soft tissue neck injuries, cuts and bruises, or more severe, such as severe head injuries, traumatic brain injuries, amputation and paralysis. They can impact you mentally, physically, and financially. 

Later in our guide, we discuss the duty of care road users owe one another to prevent accidents and injuries from occurring. We recently set up a pedestrian accident campaign, which entailed sending out FOIs to gather information on pedestrian accidents and injuries. Within this guide, we have provided you with some of these stats as well as a link to the complete findings. 

Finally, we discuss how we can help you make a personal injury claim if you have suffered a pedestrian injury. 

To get in touch, you can:

  • Call on 020 8050 2736
  • Use the live chat function below to discuss claiming if you were injured in a pedestrian accident.
  • Fill out our ‘contact us’ form with your details to request a call-back.

A man lying on the floor after being hit by a car with injuries from a pedestrian accident.

Browse Our Guide

  1. What Are Common Injuries From Pedestrian Accidents?
  2. Our Research Into Pedestrian Accident And Injury Statistics 
  3. How Can Pedestrian Accidents Be Prevented? 
  4. Contact Us For Free To See If You Can Claim Pedestrian Accident Compensation 
  5. Learn More About Claiming For Common Injuries From Pedestrian Accidents

What Are Common Injuries From Pedestrian Accidents?

Pedestrian accidents involve a pedestrian being injured in an accident whilst using the road. They can often involve other road users, including drivers and motorcyclists. Pedestrians are considered the most vulnerable road users, as when they are involved in a road traffic accident, they are likely to be caused serious or life-changing harm. This can include, broken or shattered bones, head injuries, paralysis or fatal injuries. These injuries have the ability to lead to permanent disability that can considerably change that person’s quality of life. 

Some examples of injuries from pedestrian accidents and how they can occur include:

  • A driver fails to stop at a zebra crossing that a pedestrian is walking across. As a result, the pedestrian is struck by a car and sustains a severe head injury, rib fractures and broken jaw injury.
  • A motorcyclist is speeding and fails to stop at a designated pedestrian crossing in time. As a result, the pedestrian suffers broken bones and a traumatic brain injury.
  • A pedestrian may fail to check the road is safe before crossing. This leads to them being hit by a car. They suffer severe spinal injury, broken bone punctures and internal injuries as a result.

In some cases, you might be eligible to claim compensation for pedestrian injuries. You could also claim for a fatal pedestrian accident on behalf of a loved one. Read on to find out more, or call our team to discuss a personal injury claim as an injured pedestrian in more detail. 

Our Research Into Pedestrian Accident And Injury Statistics 

We carried out research on the number of pedestrian road collisions between 2020 and 2024, looking at before and after changes to the Highway Code were made. This change laid out a hierarchy of road users and stated vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, were most at risk from road traffic accidents and, therefore, required extra care to prevent injuries from pedestrian accidents.

One significant result from our research showed that pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries increased after the change to the Highway Code was made.  

Other notable findings between 2020/21 to 2022/23 include:

  • In the West Midlands, the number of pedestrians who suffered a serious injury rose by 57%.
  • There was a 24% increase in the number of slight injuries suffered by pedestrians in Norfolk and Suffolk.
  • In Durham, the number of pedestrian fatalities caused by cars rose from 4 recorded incidents to 12 recorded incidents. 

You can see the full results of our research into pedestrian accidents here. 

How Can Pedestrian Accidents Be Prevented?

Road users owe a duty of care to one another to prevent causing harm or damage while using the roads. To uphold this duty of care, they need to adhere to the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code.

Although all road users owe one another a duty of care,  Rule 204 of the Highway Code states that in any interaction between road users, those who have the potential to cause the greatest harm, have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat they pose. It also states that those most at risk from road traffic are pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. As such, drivers have a greater responsibility to reduce the risk they pose. 

Rules 205-210 of The Highway Code provide guidance for drivers to help them prevent causing a pedestrian accident. For example, it advises that drivers:

  • Drive with the safety of children in mind and at a speed that is suitable for the current road conditions.
  • Drive carefully and slowly, including when passing a parked motor vehicle and driving past bus and tram stops. Pedestrians, including children, could emerge into the road suddenly.
  • Take care around particularly vulnerable pedestrians, including children and the elderly age group, who may be unable to judge the speed of a car or require more time to cross the road.

Whilst these are not rules that must be followed, drivers should still aim to adhere to the guidance from the Highway Code listed above. Furthermore, it is important that care is taken by drivers to ensure they are navigating the roads safely to prevent pedestrian accidents. 

If a driver breached the duty of care they owed, and you suffered injuries from a pedestrian accident as a result, this could constitute negligence for which you could start a personal injury claim. Contact us using the details below to find out how we can help you claim compensation.

A man with a severe head injury after being injured in a pedestrian accident.

Contact Us For Free To See If You Can Claim Pedestrian Accident Compensation 

We can help by assessing your case for free and potentially connecting you with a solicitor from our panel. They have experience handling claims for pedestrian accident compensation and can assist you with gathering evidence to support your case as well as help you negotiate a settlement for your injuries from a pedestrian accident. 

They can also offer their services on a No Win No Fee basis by offering a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) which typically means you won’t pay for their work at the following times:

  • Upfront
  • As the claim proceeds
  • If the claim fails 

Following a successful claim outcome, your pedestrian accident solicitor will take a success fee from your compensation as a percentage. However, due the legal cap placed on this percentage, you can keep the majority of your settlement. 

For further guidance on compensation claims for pedestrian accidents, please get in touch with an advisor using the contact details below. They can assess your case for free and connect you with an experienced solicitor from our panel if you’re eligible to pursue your claim.

To get in touch:

Learn More About Claiming For Common Injuries From Pedestrian Accidents

For more of our helpful road traffic accident claim guides:

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Thank you for reading this guide to common injuries from pedestrian accidents; please contact an advisor using the number above to see if you could make a road traffic accident claim.