What to do if you’re a pedestrian hit by a car

Pedestrians face even greater risks than motorists in the event of a collision. In fact, a report from the New York Department of Transportation revealed that out of all traffic fatalities that took place between 2005 and 2009, 52 percent of them were pedestrians.

Hopefully, you never find yourself in such a situation. However, if you were walking and were suddenly struck by a vehicle, no matter how hard it was, there are certain steps to take to protect your rights.

Move to the sidewalk

All these steps are assuming you are conscious and not hurt too badly. If you can walk, then move to the sidewalk. Make sure to keep the driver there, too. You may not look too badly injured, but you want to get the driver’s information just in case you need to go to the hospital.

Contact the police

Next, you want to create a police report. You will not be able to make this report if you wait until the next day, it has to be right then and there.

Make sure the report is clear

You will understandably feel upset, but you want to keep your demeanor calm so you can calmly tell the officers what transpired. You also want to make sure the details are correct. The driver may try to make the report more favorable to him or her. After the officers have completed the report, ask to double-check it to make sure everything is accurate.

Start the insurance claim

After a full medical exam, you should start an insurance claim. Make the first phone call the day the incident happened, and at the beginning, you just need to provide a run-down of the facts. You should get the driver’s insurance information at the scene so you can provide it when asked. In the event the insurance agency takes care of everything, there may be no reason to go to court. However, if problems persist, then you may need to contact an attorney.