A variety of factors influence the likelihood of a vehicle-pedestrian crash. Location is a key consideration. The speed of the vehicle can also influence the likelihood and severity of a collision with a pedestrian
Timing is another critical factor. During the winter months, there are typically fewer people out walking. When temperatures drop, people tend to avoid traveling on foot. Those who still walk could be at increased risk on the roads. Not only does winter weather increase stopping distances and create more opportunities for drivers to lose control of their vehicles, but it may also interfere with their surveillance of road conditions.
Drivers may not watch for pedestrians in the winter
Proper surveillance is critical to traffic safety. Drivers can potentially overlook certain things that can have major safety implications for others. When there’s too much information for the brain to focus on everything, the brain naturally prioritizes information that seems safety critical.
Pedestrians are smaller than vehicles, so they aren’t as easy to see. Drivers can potentially look right at a pedestrian and never mentally recognize that they are there. This phenomenon can occur at any time, and the only way to overcome it is to intentionally check for pedestrians. During the winter months, when drivers don’t expect to see people on foot, they may fail to double-check for pedestrians when they approach an intersection or pull out of a parking space.
While winter weather conditions may explain why a pedestrian-involved crash occurred, they do not absolve a driver of liability. Filing a personal injury lawsuit or an insurance claim can help injured pedestrians recoup their losses after a crash.
