Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian accidents can occur when a person is walking, jogging, riding a bike, crossing the street, commuting to work, and in many other ways.  Most people are unaware that their own insurance company may compensate them when they are hit or injured as a pedestrian.  These types of accidents often result in very serious injuries as the pedestrian has no protection.  They also frequently invovle children.  Some of the most common pedestrian accidents occur when a pedestrian is hit inside of a marked or unmarked crosswalk. 

Wisconsin pedestrians are protected under certain laws in Wisconsin and when a pedestrian, biker, runner, or other person on the road gets hit by a vehicle, these laws can be used to show that the driver was at fault.  Wisconsin pedestrian laws generally define things like right of way, cross walks, unmarked cross walks, yielding to pedestrians, crossing at an uncontrolled intersection or crosswalk, not overtaking vehicles which are stopped for pedestrians, right of way, passing, turning, required turn signals, and other requirements for drivers as applied to those cross or traveling in the street. 

A few of the pedestrian rules require things like:

1. Driver's must yield the right of way to a pedestrian or biker crossing in a manner consistent with the safe use of the crosswalk;

2. When a car is stopped at an intersection or crosswalk to permit a pedestrian or biker to cross the road, drivers behind the stopped car shall not pass the stopped car;

3. When a yield sign is installed, a driver must yield the right of way to other vehicles which have entered the intersection or approaching so closely that they consitute a hazard of collision.  If necessary a driver must reduce speed or stop in order to yield the right of way;

4. Cars facing a green signal may proceed straight or turn right or left, but must yield to other cars and pedestrians lawfully within the intersection or adjacent crosswalk at the time the signal is exhibited.

The above information is general information and is not the specific law in Wisconsin.  For specific legal advice and laws, contact a Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer.  If you are injured walking, running, bicycling, or riding on the street with a moped or motorcycle, you should contact a personal injury lawyer familiar with Wisconsin's pedestrian laws.

Attorney Clayton Griessmeyer is familiar with the various laws and requirements for Wisconsin drivers and pedestrians and works hard to protect pedestrians and help people who are injured by drivers.