There’s an interesting photo posted on the NewTimes. It’s a picture of an alligator crossing the street in a local South Florida neighborhood.
It’s not that it’s an alligator in the road that’s drawing attention of residents in the area, but it’s the fact that the alligator is properly using the crosswalk. Crosswalks are something that may seem foreign at times. Unfortunately, neither drivers nor pedestrians are staying on the lookout for one another and are both traveling like they own the road.
The picture was shared on Facebook by Bay News 9 and it’s getting quite the response. It was noted that the gator has a brain that’s the same size as about three olives, but still it was smart enough to use the crosswalk. Many in the area are wondering why local pedestrians aren’t doing the same.
“Next time you’re thinking about running diagonally across a Broward Boulevard intersection…think like a gator,” says NewTimes.
The gator may be on to something. Our Broward County pedestrian accident attorneys understand that pedestrians in the area have become pretty comfortable with walking the streets. Many of them even feel like they own the roadway, as if cars are catering to their every move. The truth of the matter is that cars aren’t always playing the same game. Many times, drivers aren’t paying attention to pedestrians. Walkers and bikers in the area are at extreme risks for accidents when they fail to travel defensively and when they’re not keeping an eye on traffic.
According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, about 17 percent of the state’s traffic fatalities were of pedestrians in 2008. Statistics with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle (DHSMV) reveal that the number of pedestrian fatalities may have hit a 10-year low in 2008, but the number of pedestrians injured in these same accidents actually increased. In fact, Broward County was ranked as one of the top counties in the entire state for pedestrian fatalities. In 2008, there were more than 500 pedestrians killed and another 8,000 injured in the state of Florida.
When you talk about drinking in traffic accidents you would naturally think of drinking and driving. Did you know that more than 36 percent of pedestrians that were killed in 2008 had been drinking?
It’s the same thing with distractions. You’d likely think distracted driving. But the truth of the matter is that distractions drastically affect pedestrians, too. You need all of your attention on your surroundings when walking through South Florida, your safety relies on it. Be a safer walker and follow the rules of the road, stay alert and stay sober! Don’t rely on the habits of drivers to keep you safe. Be a proactive pedestrian and take safety into your own hands!
Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez — 1-800-561-7777 for a free appointment to discuss your rights.
More Blog Entries:
Thirteen Killed in South Florida Car Accidents in 24-Hours, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, April 3, 2012
Don’t Blame Florida Pedestrians for High Injury Risk, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, February 3, 2012