405 pedestrians were killed and 6,067 were seriously injured in 2023 in accidents on UK roads, which is an increase of 5% on 2022. Most pedestrian fatalities occurred in single vehicle collisions involving a car.
Now that the sun sets before most of us finish work and soon will not rise until after we leave for work, the risk to pedestrians increases substantially. Most accidents involving pedestrians occur on a weekday between 6-9am and 3-6pm. Between 2019-2023, 1,307 pedestrians were killed or seriously injured due to wearing dark clothing at night.
Safety Tips – Avoiding Pedestrian Accidents
We’ve put together some tips for staying safe as a pedestrian in the dark:-
-
Stay visible – Wear bright clothing.
-
Carry a light – whether a torch, headlight or even your phone.
-
Stay alert and avoid distractions – try not to walk with your head in your phone or earphones in at a high volume.
-
Use pedestrian crossings when available.
-
Never cross the road on a blind bend.
Every 17 minutes, someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads. This is a terrifying statistic given by Brake, the road safety charity, and is something we at Farleys want to help change by highlighting safety tips for going out in the dark.
This week is Road Safety Week, a campaign run annually by Brake. You can find out more about it in our article here.
Contact a Specialist in Pedestrian Accident Claims
If you have been injured in a road traffic accident as a pedestrian, you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation for your injuries and to cover any costs you have incurred as a result, such as transport to appointments, medication, specialist rehabilitation and more. For a free initial chat about your case, please get in touch with our personal injury specialists at Farleys on 0845 287 0939. Alternatively, you can contact us by email or using the online chat below.
