Under Colorado law, drivers must yield to pedestrians who are using a crosswalk, and they must yield before flashing red signals and stop signs.
Colorado Campaign Highlights the Devastation of a Pedestrian Accident
In August, a Colorado Springs driver was cited for careless driving after failing to yield and hitting four pedestrians in a crosswalk (including two children). Each year, some 5,000 pedestrians are killed and another 70,000 injured in traffic accidents in the United States. Young children and elderly people are more likely than persons of other ages to die or be seriously injured in pedestrian accidents.
With its Left Behind campaign, the Colorado Department of Transportation hopes to encourage motorists to pay more attention to pedestrians and proceed more cautiously in their vicinity.
Left Behind . . . aims to decrease the number of pedestrian crashes in the state. Left Behind emotionally highlights the aftermath and devastation of a pedestrian crash by focusing on the personal belongings left behind after a pedestrian crash. The campaign will be featured on billboards in Colorado Springs and the Denver Metro area. It will also appear on RTD Bus and Rail, at bus shelters and on social media statewide.
In August, the agency and Denver Streets Partnership cosponsored a display of 76 shoes at Union Station in remembrance of the 76 Colorado pedestrians killed, and others seriously injured, on state roads in 2019.
These Tips Can Help Prevent Pedestrian Injuries and Accidents
Before crossing a street:
- Always pause at a curb, road edge, or corner to look around even if you’re sure no vehicles are present.
- Look left, right, left again, and over your shoulder for vehicles that may be turning. Keep an eye out for traffic as you cross.
- Follow signals carefully when crossing at an intersection with traffic lights and pedestrian signals. Press the crosswalk button and wait until you see the WALK signal before starting to cross. If a DON’T WALK signal begins to flash after you have started crossing, continue to cross.
- Walk in a straight line when crossing a street. Avoid walking diagonally or weaving back and forth. Make eye contact with drivers to ensure that they see you crossing.
- If you cross in a spot other than a marked crosswalk, be ready to yield to approaching vehicles, who have the right of way.
- After dark, wear light colors and walk near streetlights so that it’s easier for motorists to see you.
Under Colorado law, drivers must yield to pedestrians who are using a crosswalk, and they must yield before flashing red signals and stop signs. If you are a motorist:
- Be sure to stop before a crosswalk.
- When the light turns green, proceed slowly and with caution in case pedestrians are present.
- Always slow down or stop when approaching an intersection that has no traffic signals or only inoperative ones.
- Be especially careful when driving through residential areas where pedestrians are expected. Never pass a car in front of you that has stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident, contact personal injury attorney Dan Rosen at (303) 454-8000 or (800) ROSEN-911 to schedule your free initial consultation to discuss the details of your case.