What Are The Different Types Of Pedestrian Road Accidents And When Could You Claim?

In this guide, we answer the question, “What are the different types of pedestrian road accidents?” We examine a range of circumstances where pedestrians could be injured on the roads. You will see information on the duty of care owed by all road users to each other and how failing to uphold this duty can result in an accident.

In addition to this, we examine the eligibility criteria for pedestrian accident claims in more detail. The final section of our guide explains the benefits of working with one of the pedestrian accident solicitors from our panel on a No Win No Fee basis.

Get in touch with our advisory team today for further clarification on anything we have covered in this guide. In addition to answering your queries, our advisors can assess your eligibility to claim free of charge. Talk to a team member today using any of the contact details provided here:

A pedestrian laying in a pool of blood on the road. The wheels of a car can be seen in the background

Browse This Guide

  1. What Are The Different Types Of Pedestrian Road Accidents?
  2. Are Pedestrians Vulnerable Road Users?
  3. When Could You Make A Pedestrian Accident Claim?
  4. Claim For A Pedestrian Traffic Accident On A No Win No Fee Basis
  5. Read More About What The Different Types Of Pedestrian Road Accidents Are

What Are The Different Types Of Pedestrian Road Accidents?

A pedestrian road accident is any road traffic accident that involves pedestrians in some way. Pedestrians are deemed to be road users, and all road users owe a duty of care to use the roads in a safe manner to prevent one another from experiencing harm. We will examine this duty in greater detail in a later section.

Some examples of pedestrian road accidents include:

  • Pedestrian accidents at junctions: Rule 170 of the Highway Code states that drivers must give way to pedestrians who are waiting and are already crossing a junction they want to turn into. If a driver fails to do this, they could hit a pedestrian.
  • Being hit by a bicycle: A cyclist riding on the pavement and not the cycle lane collides with a pedestrian when coming around a corner.
  • Driving without due care and attention: Distracted driving increases the risk of an accident. For example, a driver could collide with a pedestrian who was crossing a road because they were distracted by their mobile phone.
  • Drivers under the influence of controlled substances: Drunk driving seriously inhibits a driver’s ability to respond to the road.  As an example, a driver who was well above the legal drink drive limit ran through a red light and collided with a pedestrian who was crossing the street.
  • Reversing accidents: A driver fails to check their blind spot when reversing out of their driveway and hits a pedestrian.

Now that we’ve answered the question, “What are the different types of pedestrian road accidents?” the next few sections will examine a few examples in greater detail. To learn more about pedestrian accidents, contact our advisors today using the number given above.

Pedestrian Accidents Related To Public Transport

You are owed a duty of care while you are a passenger of public transport, such as a bus or taxi, and as a pedestrian on the roads. For example, bus drivers should exercise a level of due care and attention befitting someone in control of a large vehicle. The driver should ensure that the passengers of the bus, as well as other road users, are not put at risk of injury.

Some examples of how a pedestrian could be injured in a public transport accident include:

  • A bus driver is distracted by their bus radio and fails to notice a pedestrian crossing the street. Due to this, the pedestrian suffered multiple broken bones and a severe head injury when the bus hit them as the driver was unable to come to a stop in time.
  • A taxi driver is speeding, and they are unable to come to a stop before a zebra crossing as a pedestrian is using it. This causes them to suffer a neck injury and a broken arm.
  • A bus fails to check that a junction is clear before turning into it. A pedestrian was crossing at this junction, and they were hit by the bus, causing them to suffer a dislocated shoulder and a broken leg.

Car Park Pedestrian Accidents

With a large number of moving vehicles, as well as many potential places for pedestrians to suddenly appear from, drivers may need to exercise additional caution when manoeuvring in car parks.

Some examples of how you could be injured as a pedestrian in a car park include:

  • A driver reverses from a bay without checking their blind spot. You were returning to your vehicle when the car suddenly reversed out of this parking bay and collided with you. You were left with a broken leg as well as damage to your foot due to this collision.
  • A car turns a corner in a car park at a speed, which causes them to crash into you as you are approaching your car in the car park. Due to this pedestrian collision, you suffer an arm and back injury.

Pedestrian Or Zebra Crossing Pedestrian Accidents

Rules 18 to 30 of the Highway Code provide guidance to both drivers and pedestrians regarding how to be safe while using crossings. Pedestrians must ensure that all traffic has stopped before crossing, and cars must stop at crossings if a pedestrian is already using them or at a red light if they are a traffic-controlled crossing.

There are various ways a pedestrian crossing accident could occur. Some examples may include:

  • While using a puffin crossing, a driver fails to come to a stop at the red light. This causes them to collide into you and you suffer various injuries.
  • A driver is distracted and isn’t paying attention to the road, meaning they fail to notice you are crossing at a zebra crossing. You suffer a serious back injury when they crash into you.
  • A speeding driver is unable to come to a stop in time, causing them to hit you while you are using a pelican crossing. This collision causes you to suffer a serious leg injury that later requires an amputation.

There are an array of different circumstances where driver distraction, drunk driving or driving without due care and attention can result in an accident. If you are wondering, ‘What are the different types of pedestrian road accidents that could lead to personal injury claims?’ you can contact our team of advisors.

a driver using their phone at the wheel not seeing the pedestrian in front of them.

Are Pedestrians Vulnerable Road Users?

Per Highway Code Rules 204 to 225, certain road users are denoted as requiring extra care. Pedestrians are considered to be the most at-risk road users as they lack the protections afforded by a motor vehicle. This means that pedestrians are at risk of the most severe injuries in road traffic accidents.

Highway Code Rules 205 to 210 stipulate that drivers should exercise additional caution in residential areas, around schools or shopping areas. Consideration should also be made for the elderly, children and the disabled, as they may not be able to judge speed as well as other pedestrians.

If you have been involved in a road traffic accident as a pedestrain and would like to know whether you may be able to claim compensation for your injuries, you can contact our advisors.

When Could You Make A Pedestrian Accident Claim?

If you were injured in a road traffic accident as a pedestrian, you may be entitled to claim compensation. As we stated above, all road users have a duty of care to each other to use the roads safely to avoid causing injury or damage. To uphold their duty of care, they must adhere to the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the rules set out for them within the Highway Code.

If another road user failed to uphold this duty and caused an accident, you may have valid grounds to begin a claim.

We have set out the road traffic accident eligibility criteria here:

  1. You were owed a duty of care by another road user.
  2. That road user failed to uphold this duty of care and caused a road traffic accident.
  3. You were injured as a result of this accident.

To find out, “What are the different types of pedestrian road accidents that you may be able to claim for?”, you can contact our advisors today. In addition to providing further guidance, the team can also assess your eligibility to begin a claim for free.

Claim For A Pedestrian Traffic Accident On A No Win No Fee Basis

Our advisors are available to answer any questions you may have regarding the personal injury claims process for pedestrian accidents. The team can also assess the validity of your claim for free. If your potential claim is deemed valid, our advisors could connect you with one of the dedicated car accident claim solicitors from our panel.

The solicitors on our panel can offer their services on a No Win No Fee basis through a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). A CFA contract gives you, as a claimant, various advantages. For example, there will generally be no fee to pay for the solicitor to begin work on your case or any fees for this work during the actual claim itself. Furthermore, as “No Win No Fee” would suggest, you will not pay a fee for the solicitor’s services if the claim does not succeed.

Should the solicitor win the case, you will receive a compensation payout. Your solicitor will deduct a success fee from your compensation. A legal cap limits the percentage that can be taken as this fee. Additionally, prior to your claim starting, you and your solicitor will agree on the percentage that this success fee will be.

Get in touch with our advisory team today for further clarification on anything we have covered in this guide. In addition to answering your queries, our advisors can assess your eligibility to begin a pedestrian accident claim free of charge. Talk to a team member today using any of the contact details provided here:

A claimant asking his solicitor "What are the different types of pedestrian road accidents you could claim for?"

Read More About What The Different Types Of Pedestrian Road Accidents Are

You can read some of our pedestrian road accident guides here:

You can also browse these external resources for more information:

  • Following an accident that renders you unable to work, you may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay. Find out more on the government website.
  • THINK! Produce extensive road safety campaigns that you can browse on their website.
  • Read this NHS resource on first aid here.

Thank you for reading this guide on “What are the different types of pedestrian road accidents?”. If you have any questions regarding anything you have read in this guide, or if you would like to check whether you may have a valid personal injury claim, you can contact our advisors.