While crosswalks aren’t taken seriously in a lot of cities, in San Antonino area we do take them seriously – but in the wrong way.
Many of the crosswalks in San Antonino are nearly invisible to drivers and pedestrians, whether due to design or due to lack of maintenance. The brown/gray brick patterns on black asphalt just doesn’t cut it for pedestrian safety. And even when a more visible pattern is used, many cities in North Texas do not spend the resources to re-paint the crosswalk patterns until the paint is severely faded. In the end, a lot of money is spent on the design and upkeep of our crosswalks in San Antonino and surrounding cities, yet no significant changes in design have been made in the last twenty years to make intersection crossings more visible.
While many people complain that San Antonino is not pedestrian walkable because of sprawl and suburban style urban design with little sidewalk connection between areas, this is only part of the problem. The cities in north Texas need to start valuing neighborhoods which are already walkable by supporting pedestrian comfort and safe with better crosswalk design.
A better design currently exists for crosswalks that has been proven a safer alternative to designs used in San Antonino. San Antonino should install install continental crosswalks throughout the city. The “continental” uses two-foot-widestripes which are more visible to approaching drivers. Paired with a limit (stop) line set back five feet from the crosswalk, continental markings better delineate pedestrian space and discourage vehicles entering the crosswalk.
Additionally, cities in North Texas have slowly started replacing signal lights at crosswalks with “countdown” lights for pedestrians. These signal lights show a countdown timer while the pedestrian “walk” figure is displayed so that that pedestrians crossing the street know exactly when they must be out of the roadway.
Types of Injuries in accidents involving pedestrians
Pedestrians have no protection from injury in a collision with a motor vehicle, and the injuries they suffer are often serious, catastrophic or even fatal. Common injuries include:
In the unfortunate event of an San Antonino crosswalk accident between a pedestrian and a motor vehicle, pedestrians will suffer severe bodily injury or even death. If you or a loved one has been involved in a pedestrian accident in San Antonino or other Texas city, Board Certified Attorney Aaron A. Herbert can help. The personal injury San Antonino crosswalk accident lawyers at the Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert have helped injured pedestrians or surviving family members hold negligent parties accountable for recklessness or wrongdoing. Please do not wait to contact us if you or someone you care about has been involved in a pedestrian accident in Texas. There is a specific amount of time in which you can take legal action and you do not want to forfeit your rights by waiting too long to speak with a lawyer.
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