When on the road, drivers and pedestrians have a certain responsibility to follow the established safety precautions and protect those around them; The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sites that out of the 83,000 pedestrian accidents that occur each year, 5,000 result in fatalities while the rest end in serious injuries. Though the driver is not always at fault, there are many scenarios in which a vehicle could accidentally hit a pedestrian.

There are also varying environments when driving, but speeding is a frequent problem in any location that may cause an accident. Many times a speeding vehicle will not see the person walking until they have actually made contact with them; besides the 11 percent of traffic deaths, pedestrian accidents are the second largest cause of death on the road. An image of a person walking might come to mind when you think of a pedestrian, but pedestrians do not always have to be on foot to be categorized as such; many times, vehicles accidentally hit bicyclists who have inefficient safety reflectors. These types of accidents are usually most prevalent on the weekend between 6 p.m. and midnight; therefore, drivers must be especially careful when driving at night. Also, many walking pedestrian accidents happen while in the city; 85 percent happen in urban areas. When people are hit by vehicles they usually sustain serious injuries. Some of these can and do include the following:

• Broken bones;
• Coma;
• Paraplegia;
• Spinal cord injuries; and
• Quadriplegia

Pedestrian accidents can also occur when a pedestrian is not being careful as well. One source suggests that pedestrians use caution when traveling at night. They also suggest using common sense by following all of the rules and regulations when traveling near roadways.

Sometimes there are certain road designs that are designed in ways that make it harder for a driver to see a pedestrian as they are driving. One source reports that there are many different renovations that could be made for a safer environment; another source suggests overpasses or sidewalks. Some construction projects include these safer renovations; there have been many different ideas for new structures designed to separate pedestrians and drivers so that the roads are kept safer for everyone using the roadways. Some of these ideas include choosing different locations for bus stops, lighting certain designated areas, and creating more diagonal parking structures.

Reportedly, one source cited that males are more likely to be involved in a vehicle or pedestrian accident more than females, though many of the pedestrian accidents happen to children from the ages of 5 to 9. Many government jurisdictions have placed great care in making laws and regulations that aid parents, guardians, school teachers, and other authorities to help keep children safe. In many states, there are lower speed requirements among residential areas as well as schools zones. Therefore, it is important to know that drivers have a higher standard of responsibility when operating a motor vehicle in these vicinities; if a child darts out onto the road it is the driver's responsibility to be attentive in these specific zones.

Elderly people are less likely to be hit than children in a pedestrian accident, but are far more likely to incur serious fatalities. In 2005, the rate for elderly deaths when hit in a vehicle pedestrian accident for every 100,000 people, was twice as many as those who were younger; therefore those who are 70 and older were 2.9 percent more likely to die. Drivers and passengers must be aware of their surroundings to increase the safety of our roads; a safer road means a brighter future.