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Hitting a pedestrian

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Last Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Read Time: 3 mins

Hitting a pedestrian

Pedestrian accidents happen every day. In highly dense areas, all it takes is a moment of distraction to accidentally cause serious injury and damage. If you have struck a pedestrian on the road, you may find yourself in shock and at a loss for what to do. It is a scary situation. You don’t know if the pedestrian is okay, and of course you didn’t mean to hurt anyone.

You must remember to stay calm. Though pedestrian accidents are stressful situations, panicking has never helped anyone through anything. Once you have collected your breath, follow these steps to make sure you do the best possible to stay within the law.

1. Do not drive away

Even though you are scared, even though it was an accident, you need to pull over and make sure that the pedestrian you hit is okay. If you leave the scene of the accident, you put yourself in serious legal jeopardy. This is a crime known as hit and run and can cost you your license in the best of cases, and jail time in the worst. If pedestrian you struck dies due to their injuries after you flee, you can even be facing some very serious time in jail.

So even though it may go against your instincts, stop the car and go check on the pedestrian.

2. Contact an ambulance

Pedestrian accidents carry with them some intense and debilitating injuries. These accidents frequently lead to concussions, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, and death in the most extreme cases. If you see the pedestrian is injured, render any aid you are capable of to them. As soon as you can, you need to dial 911 and have them send an ambulance. Even if the pedestrian says they are fine, many injuries will not show obvious signs immediately after the accident.

3. Contact a pedestrian accident attorney

In the aftermath of the accident, you will almost certainly have very difficult legal proceedings to navigate. As soon as possible, you need to contact an experienced pedestrian accident or personal injury lawyer trusts. Your attorney will help make sure you understand your rights and that you are treated fairly. Be honest and open with your attorney, and they will be able to determine what the proper next steps are for you based off the laws and regulations of your state or city. Pedestrian accidents can carry significant legal punishments, so it is crucial you have the best representation.

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   Nancy Wallace 
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   Deb Clark 
 32 days ago
 
 
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   Tanya White 
 32 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. PattersonBray Estate Planning was an incredible firm to work with setting up our Trust. Judith Denham was thorough, very smart, and personable as she patiently explained each part.  Gabby put together  a very professional beautiful binder for us to have, and has answered questions we have had since  then. I am so glad they were recommended to us, and we had them to walk us through this procedure.
  
 
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 76 days ago
 
 
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Hitting a pedestrian

Hitting a pedestrian

Patterson Bray

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