5 Tips for Staying Safe While Walking the Las Vegas Strip

Pedestrian injuries and deaths are unfortunately quite common on the infamous Las Vegas Strip in Nevada, and 2017 was the deadliest year in history for pedestrians in Clark County, with 77 pedestrian deaths. This was a shocking 35.09% jump from 57 pedestrian deaths in 2016. Just one death from a driver’s preventable negligence is too many. Don’t rely on drivers to pay attention or to keep you safe as you’re walking on the Strip. Take your life into your own hands by practicing a few top safety tips. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured due to negligence, call an experienced Las Vegas injury attorney at Cogburn Law Offices today for a free case consultation.

1. Stick to Pedestrian Walkways

The city of Las Vegas tries to provide safe places for pedestrians on the Strip, away from traffic. Always utilize these walkways, unless none are available. Keep to sidewalks, pedestrian bridges, and crosswalks when walking in Vegas. Avoid walking along the side of a road or highway on the Strip as well as jaywalking. This puts you too close to vehicles and increases your risk of a collision. Staying on pedestrian-designed walkways can keep you at a safer distance from motor vehicles.

If you’re in a part of the Strip that doesn’t have a pedestrian walkway, walk as far to the side of the road as possible. Walk in a direction against the flow of traffic. This is safer for pedestrians, because they can have more time to react if a vehicle is driving too close to them. Note, however, that bicyclists legally must ride in the same direction as traffic. If you’re biking around the Strip, you must obey roadway rules as if you were a driver.

2. Practice Crosswalk Safety

A high percentage of pedestrian-vehicle collisions occur at intersections and in crosswalks. While distracted, speeding, drunk, and negligent drivers cause most of these accidents, pedestrians can decrease the risk of injury by practicing crosswalk safety. The best thing you can do for yourself at a crosswalk is to pay attention. Don’t listen to headphones, stare at your phone, or walk distracted. Watch where you’re going and don’t step out into the road until you carefully look both ways for cars – even if you have the right of way or a walk signal.

Pedestrians don’t automatically have the right of way on the Strip. They must wait for the walk signal. Only enter a crosswalk when you have the signal to proceed. Walking out when you have the hand signal greatly increases your odds of a collision. It can also hurt your ability to obtain compensation if a driver strikes you. The driver may have the power to allege comparative negligence, which can reduce or even eliminate your recovery. Wait for the walk signal, look both ways to make sure drivers have stopped, and proceed with caution.

3. Increase Your Visibility

Hundreds of pedestrian accidents happen around the country every year because the driver didn’t see the pedestrian. While it is a driver’s duty to keep his/her eyes on the road and pay attention when driving, pedestrians can help decrease the risk of an accident when walking on the Strip by increasing their visibility. Wear brightly colored clothing if you’re going to walk the Strip – especially at night. Do your best to remain in brightly lit sidewalks and areas. Try to make eye contact with approaching drivers before you cross to make sure they see you.

4. Drinking on the Las Vegas Strip? Don’t Walk Home

You should not try to walk back to your home or hotel room if you are intoxicated after a night out on the Strip. A great deal of pedestrian accidents in Las Vegas involve alcohol consumption – for both drivers and the pedestrians. Walking drunk while your judgment is impaired can contribute to accidents such as falling into the road. Despite the Strip allowing pedestrians to carry open containers of alcohol, it’s wise not to walk in heavy traffic areas if you’re under the influence. Keep yourself safe on the Strip by calling a designated driver, a cab, or ride share service like Lyft or Uber.

5. Involved in an Accident? Contact a Lawyer

The best tip for keeping safe after being involved in a pedestrian accident on the Las Vegas strip is to contact a lawyer immediately. A Las Vegas car accident attorney can help you understand your legal rights, whether or not you have a case, and how much in damages you can receive for your injury or losses.