Car accidents happen everywhere, not just on the roads or highways but even in parking lots and garages.

More than half of all road traffic deaths are among vulnerable road users: pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. A pedestrian accident is when a vehicle strikes a person who is not in a car. And as a driver of a vehicle or a pedestrian, cyclist, or motorcyclist, taking a few extra seconds to take caution and awareness of your surroundings could mean the difference between life and death. Some causes of pedestrian accidents are out of your control, but there are many ways to avoid harm. Watch out for these four leading causes of pedestrian accidents.

Every year, the number of pedestrians killed by cars increases. Data shows that each year, almost 129,000 pedestrians require emergency health care due to being hit by a vehicle. This statistic translates to an average of one pedestrian accident every four minutes. The number of pedestrian deaths is more than 6,000 per year.

While we use many different types of vehicles for transportation, most people use their feet at some point. As pedestrians, people are vulnerable to collisions with vehicles. And in 2018, the numbers report a 3% increase in pedestrian deaths, totaling over 6,000 deaths. Meanwhile, data shows that in 2017, a pedestrian was killed every 88 minutes in traffic crashes.

These pedestrian fatalities remind us why it’s important to practice certain safety tips to increase protection when navigating around the community sidewalks and streets.