Baltimore Pedestrian Accidents

Baltimore is a pedestrian town. In recent years, there were days you could run the same mile much faster than you could drive it in traffic. If you are headed toward Harbor East during rush hour, you can crawl down Pratt Street and wonder whether walking would have been faster. Sometimes it is.

That is part of Baltimore. People walk here. They walk to work, to school, to the bus stop, to the Inner Harbor, to Camden Yards, to the courthouse, to bars and restaurants, and across streets that were not built with enough concern for the person on foot.

Pedestrian deaths and serious pedestrian injuries remain a major problem in Maryland. In the Baltimore region, pedestrians and bicyclists made up 32% of the 246 traffic fatalities reported in 2024. Nationally, pedestrian deaths remain far above pre-pandemic levels. GHSA reported that drivers struck and killed 7,148 pedestrians in 2024, down from 2023 but still nearly 20% higher than in 2016. The numbers move up and down year to year, but the long-term picture is still ugly. Pedestrians are paying the price for speed, distraction, poor road design, impaired driving, and bigger vehicles.

There are very few experiences as terrifying as a car coming at you as a pedestrian. We have all had that fear for a split second: this car might hit me. It is terrifying because there is no fair fight between a human being and a motor vehicle. Cars and trucks outweigh people by thousands of pounds. When a vehicle hits a pedestrian, even at what a driver thinks is a “normal” speed, the injuries can be life-changing.

If you were walking and a car, truck, bus, rideshare vehicle, delivery van, or motorcycle hit you, the first question is usually simple: why did the driver fail to see you and stop? These accidents can happen in a variety of ways, but one theme comes up over and over again. Drivers do not pay enough attention to people outside their vehicles.

So if you were a pedestrian and you were struck by a vehicle, whether in a crosswalk, on a sidewalk, in a parking lot, near a bus stop, or while crossing a Baltimore street, do not assume the crash was somehow your fault. In many pedestrian accident cases, the driver failed to yield, failed to keep a proper lookout, drove too fast for the area, turned without seeing the pedestrian, or was distracted by a phone.

This article will cover when and how an injured pedestrian can bring a lawsuit against an accident-causing driver, what these cases are worth, and why Baltimore pedestrian accident claims often involve serious injuries or wrongful death.

• How dangerous and common pedestrian accidents are
• Common examples of pedestrian accidents that result in serious injury claims
• Common case scenarios involving a vehicle colliding with a pedestrian
• Settlements and verdicts in pedestrian accident cases in Baltimore and Maryland
• Getting a real advocate to fight for you

How Dangerous and Common Are Pedestrian Accidents?

Pedestrian/motor vehicle accidents are both dangerous and common. The old version of this page cited about 4,500 pedestrian deaths a year. That number is badly outdated. Pedestrian deaths increased sharply over the last decade. GHSA reported 7,148 pedestrian deaths in 2024, and NHTSA’s 2025 traffic fatality estimate still shows overall roadway deaths above pre-pandemic levels. So, yes, the national numbers have improved a little from the worst years, but they are still far too high.

These crashes are much more common in urban areas like Baltimore. That is not surprising. More people are walking, more cars are turning, more drivers are looking for parking, more delivery vehicles are stopping and starting, and more intersections force pedestrians and drivers into conflict. A pedestrian crash that might be a near miss on a quiet rural road can become a catastrophic injury on North Avenue, Pratt Street, York Road, Pulaski Highway, Liberty Road, Reisterstown Road, or any busy Baltimore-area corridor.

Nighttime is especially dangerous. Visibility is lower, drivers are more likely to be tired or impaired, and pedestrians are harder to see until it is too late. Many serious pedestrian crashes happen in the evening or at night. That does not excuse the driver. It means the driver has to slow down and keep a proper lookout.

Children and older adults are especially vulnerable. Children are harder for drivers to see and less able to judge vehicle speed. Older adults are more likely to suffer catastrophic injuries from the same impact. A crash that might leave a younger person with fractures can leave an older pedestrian with a brain injury, hip fracture, spinal injury, or fatal complications.

Pedestrian accidents are a major problem in terms of cost and human suffering. But the real cost is not the number on a spreadsheet. It is the person who cannot walk without pain, the parent who cannot work, the child who watched a mother get hit, or the family that gets a phone call no family should ever receive.

Common Examples of Pedestrian Accident Claims

Pedestrian accident lawsuits in Baltimore and throughout Maryland usually come down to driver attention and driver choices. The driver may say, “I never saw them.” That is not a defense. In many cases, it is the problem.

Common pedestrian accident cases include:

• Crosswalk crashes: A driver turns left or right through a crosswalk and hits a pedestrian who had the right of way.
• Failure to yield: A driver approaches an intersection, driveway, parking lot exit, or marked crossing and fails to yield to someone walking.
• Distracted driving: A driver is texting, using GPS, looking at a delivery app, or otherwise not watching the road.
• Parking lot pedestrian crashes: A driver backs out, cuts through a lot, or fails to see a pedestrian walking between cars.
• Bus stop and rideshare crashes: A pedestrian is hit while getting to or from a bus stop, Uber, Lyft, taxi, or delivery vehicle.
• Sidewalk crashes: A driver loses control, jumps a curb, or makes an unsafe turn and strikes someone who was never in the roadway.
• Hit-and-run pedestrian crashes: A driver hits a pedestrian and leaves the scene, often because of alcohol, drugs, no license, no insurance, or panic.
• School-zone crashes: A child is hit near a school, bus stop, playground, or neighborhood crossing.

The injuries in these cases are usually serious because pedestrians have no protection. No seatbelt. No airbag. No steel frame. Just a body taking the force of a moving vehicle.

Common Case Scenario: Vehicle Colliding with a Pedestrian

The common defense in pedestrian accident cases is that the pedestrian “came out of nowhere.” Sometimes that is true. Usually, it is not. What really happened is that the driver was not looking carefully enough, was moving too fast for the area, or was focused on other traffic and not on the person walking.

Take the typical Baltimore crosswalk case. A pedestrian starts crossing with the signal. A driver wants to turn right or left. The driver is watching the gap in traffic, not the crosswalk. The driver sees an opening, accelerates, and hits the pedestrian. Afterward, the driver says the pedestrian appeared suddenly. But the pedestrian was there to be seen. The driver just did not look.

Another common case is the mid-block crossing. The defense will argue that the pedestrian was outside the crosswalk. That can be a real issue in Maryland because contributory negligence is still the law here. But it does not automatically end the case. Drivers still have a duty to keep a proper lookout, control their speed, and avoid hitting people they can see or should have seen.

These cases are very fact-specific. Where was the pedestrian? Where was the vehicle? What was the lighting? Were there skid marks? Was there video? Did the driver brake? Was the driver on the phone? Were there witnesses? Did the police report get it right? These questions can decide whether a pedestrian accident lawsuit succeeds or fails.

Settlements and Verdicts in Pedestrian Crash Cases in Maryland

The settlement value of pedestrian accident cases in Maryland is often higher than many other types of accident cases. Why? The injuries are usually more severe. Most of the pedestrian accident cases our lawyers see involve serious injury or death. When a vehicle hits a human being, the medical bills, lost wages, pain, and permanent consequences can be enormous.

That does not mean every pedestrian accident case has a high settlement value. Maryland’s contributory negligence rule can make these cases harder than they should be. If the insurance company can prove the pedestrian was even 1% at fault, the defense will argue the injured person gets nothing. That is harsh. But it is the law in Maryland, and it is why these cases need to be built carefully from the beginning.

• $1,000,000 Settlement. A young woman was pushing her small child in a stroller on a sidewalk in Baltimore County when she was struck by a pickup truck. The driver missed his U-turn but decided to take it anyway. The woman was killed. Before she was hit, she pushed her child to safety. Allstate argued that the client’s immigration status would adversely impact the value of the case and made us file suit. Miller & Zois attorneys sued them in Baltimore City. Allstate tried to move the case to Baltimore County, but we won the venue fight. The case settled shortly thereafter for $1 million, the full amount of Allstate’s insurance policy.
• $663,000 Verdict. An 18-year-old woman was hit by a car whose driver was distracted by a text message. The defendant, a State Farm insured, admitted liability but argued the woman was not really hurt. To be blunt, they pretty much accused her of being a liar. The jury believed her and her doctors and awarded $663,000. Miller & Zois took this case to trial when State Farm refused to pay her the compensation she deserved.

These examples show two important things. First, pedestrian accident cases can have real value when the injuries are serious and the facts are strong. Second, insurance companies still fight these cases. They fight venue. They fight damages. They argue the victim was not as hurt as the doctors say. They look for anything they can use to reduce the payout.

What Injuries Do Pedestrian Accident Victims Suffer?

Pedestrian accident injuries are often severe because the body absorbs the entire impact. Our lawyers see these injuries over and over again:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Skull fractures and facial fractures
• Broken legs, hips, arms, wrists, ribs, and pelvis injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Herniated discs and serious back injuries
• Knee, ankle, and shoulder injuries
• Internal bleeding and organ damage
• Road rash, scarring, and disfigurement
• Post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and fear of crossing streets
• Wrongful death

Do not let the insurance company reduce your case to the emergency room bill. A pedestrian crash can change the way you walk, sleep, work, parent, drive, and move through the world. If you are afraid to cross the street months later, that is not weakness. That is trauma from almost being killed by a vehicle.

What Is a Baltimore Pedestrian Accident Case Worth?

The value of a Baltimore pedestrian accident case depends on the liability facts, the injury, the available insurance, and whether the defense can make a contributory negligence argument. A clear crosswalk case with serious injuries and good insurance is very different from a disputed nighttime crossing with limited medical treatment and minimal insurance.

The biggest value drivers are:

• Whether the driver clearly failed to yield or was distracted
• Whether the pedestrian was in a crosswalk or otherwise visible
• The severity of the injuries
• Whether there is permanent impairment
• The amount of medical bills and future medical care
• Lost wages and loss of earning capacity
• Scarring, disfigurement, or disability
• Video, witness testimony, police findings, and crash reconstruction evidence
• The amount of insurance coverage available

Insurance coverage matters more than people think. A catastrophic injury case may be worth millions on paper, but if the driver has minimum coverage and no meaningful assets, the recovery may be limited unless there are other defendants or uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage available.

Maryland Contributory Negligence in Pedestrian Accident Cases

Maryland is a contributory negligence state. That means if the pedestrian is found even slightly negligent, the injured pedestrian may be barred from recovery. This is one of the biggest challenges in Maryland pedestrian accident lawsuits.

Insurance companies know this. They will look for any argument that you crossed outside a crosswalk, stepped into traffic suddenly, wore dark clothing, ignored a signal, looked at your phone, or failed to see the car. Some of those arguments are fair in some cases. Many are exaggerated.

Do not assume the insurance company is right just because it says you were partly at fault. The driver may still have had the last clear chance to avoid the crash. The driver may have been speeding. The driver may have been distracted. The driver may have violated the pedestrian’s right of way. Video or witness testimony may tell a very different story from the police report. We have taken pedestrian cases to trial many times and have only lost once on contributory negligence.

Miller & Zois Knows These Cases

If you or one of your loved ones was involved in a Baltimore pedestrian accident, we may be able to help you get the compensation you deserve. We fight relentlessly to get you as much money as possible for what you have been through.

Call Miller & Zois at 800-553-8082 or get a free case evaluation online.

More Pedestrian Accident Information

• Overview of pedestrian injury cases
• Parking lot pedestrian crashes: how these accidents occur and sample verdicts and settlements in these cases
• A look at texting accident cases, which are a particular danger for pedestrians in an urban area