With pedestrian accidents on the rise in Missouri, more pedestrians across the state have suffered preventable injuries and other devastating consequences. In 2024, there were 166 non-motorized road fatalities in Missouri, with a high concentration of accidents happening in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas.
If you or a loved one was injured by a motorist while walking, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses and suffering. Knowing your legal options after a pedestrian accident in Missouri will help you take the right steps to pursue financial relief. Contact our personal injury lawyers to learn more about your rights as an injured pedestrian.
- What To Do Immediately After a Pedestrian Accident
- Understanding Your Legal Options After a Pedestrian Accident
- Common Causes of Missouri Pedestrian Accidents
- How MoDOT’s Efforts Are Aiming to Reduce Pedestrian Accidents in St. Louis & Kansas City
- Missouri Pedestrian Laws & Safety Tips to Protect Yourself
- How Brown & Crouppen Law Firm Can Help
What To Do Immediately After a Pedestrian Accident
After being involved in a vehicle-pedestrian accident, it’s crucial to prioritize your health and safety. Follow these steps to protect yourself after an accident:
- Try to stay calm and assess yourself for injuries.
- Call 911 for immediate medical attention and to report the accident.
- If there were witnesses, gather their contact information.
- Take pictures and videos of the accident scene, including anything that may have contributed to the accident.
- Document your injuries and any expenses related to the accident.
- Contact a Missouri pedestrian accident lawyer to help you navigate your next steps.
An experienced attorney can provide pedestrian accident legal help, explaining your options and walking you through the claims process.
Understanding Your Legal Options After a Pedestrian Accident
Many injured pedestrians feel overwhelmed or confused about what to do next. Who pays for medical expenses, and how will they cover bills if they’re unable to work? If someone else’s negligence caused your accident, you may qualify to recover damages.
In Missouri, the at-fault driver’s insurance is responsible for covering expenses caused by the crash. However, you must prove liability and file a pedestrian accident claim, which involves:
- Filling out forms and meeting deadlines
- Speaking with insurance representatives about what happened
- Providing proof of medical expenses and other losses
- Negotiating for a fair settlement with the insurer
While your claim is ongoing, you may need to use your own health insurance and other coverage to pay for medical care. Providers may also place a lien on your claim settlement to be paid directly from the amount you’re awarded. This is why it’s crucial to work with a legal professional to maximize your settlement.
Seeking Compensation for Injuries and Damages
Pedestrian accident victims may be entitled to both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are the monetary expenses and financial losses caused by the accident, such as:
- Current medical bills
- Cost of future medical care
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earnings capacity
- Property damage
- Related out-of-pocket expenses
Non-economic damages are the intangible losses you experience because of the pedestrian accident, which may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish and trauma
- Disfigurement or scarring
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
A pedestrian accident attorney in Missouri can help you identify all available damages and demand the full value of these losses in your claim. The insurance company may offer lowball settlements and pressure you to accept less than you deserve. A lawyer can protect you from these insurer tactics and fight for a settlement that accurately represents your losses.
How Fault Is Determined in Pedestrian Accidents
To prove fault and liability in a pedestrian accident, you must establish all elements of negligence, including:
- Duty of care: The at-fault party had a legal duty, such as yielding the right of way to pedestrians.
- Breach of duty: The driver failed to fulfill their duty. For example, they did not stop for a pedestrian crossing the street.
- Causation: The driver’s breach of duty was the cause of the pedestrian accident.
- Damages: The accident resulted in the victim’s medical bills and other losses.
In some cases, the pedestrian may share some fault for the accident. Because Missouri uses a pure comparative negligence rule, you can still file a claim if you’re partially to blame, but the amount awarded is proportionately reduced by your percentage of fault.
Common Causes of Missouri Pedestrian Accidents
Many factors can increase the risk of Missouri pedestrian accidents, and both drivers and pedestrians can contribute to the likelihood of a crash.
Examples of common causes of pedestrian traffic collisions involving drivers include:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding or aggressive driving
- Driving while intoxicated (DWI)
- Failing to yield the right of way at intersections
While pedestrians have the right of way in crosswalks in Missouri, they still have a duty to check for safety before crossing the street. Pedestrians may share fault for an accident in these situations:
- Looking at their phones or other distractions
- Failing to look for or notice oncoming traffic
- Jaywalking or crossing without using the designated crosswalk
- Misjudging or not considering the speed of traffic
Pedestrians lack safety or protective gear, leaving them vulnerable to injuries if they’re struck by a vehicle. These injuries are often severe and result in long-term or permanent issues.
Why Urban Hubs Are Especially Vulnerable
Pedestrian accidents are much more prevalent in highly populated or urban areas in Missouri, including St. Louis and Kansas City. This is because there are more pedestrians in these cities, along with these additional risk factors:
- Traffic congestion
- Complex intersections
- Aging infrastructure
- Driver and pedestrian distractions
In 2024, Missouri experienced one of its deadliest years on record for pedestrian accidents. In St. Louis alone, pedestrian fatalities increased by a shocking 187% in the city, with a 24% increase throughout the county. Statewide, there were a total of 142 pedestrian fatalities, with 70 occurring in St. Louis.
A pedestrian accident lawyer in St. Louis or Kansas City will understand the unique circumstances that contribute to pedestrian injuries in these regions. Consider working with a legal professional to help you file your claim for compensation.
How MoDOT’s Efforts Are Aiming to Reduce Pedestrian Accidents in St. Louis & Kansas City
The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has collaborated with local cities to implement several initiatives and educational campaigns aimed at enhancing pedestrian safety and reducing accidents in St. Louis, Kansas City, and throughout the state:
- MoDOT launched the “Heads Up St. Louis” awareness campaign in October 2025.
- St. Louis’ first citywide Transportation & Mobility Plan in decades was adopted in November 2025.
- Kansas City launched its Vision Zero & Mobility initiative in the spring of 2021.
Despite these efforts, pedestrian safety remains a major concern. Drivers and other road users must work with local municipalities and state agencies to improve safety and reduce pedestrian-related crashes in Missouri.
Missouri Pedestrian Laws & Safety Tips to Protect Yourself
Missouri has several laws that are meant to protect pedestrians and promote safer conditions for everyone on the road, including:
- Pedestrians’ right-of-way: Vehicles must slow down or stop for pedestrians crossing the road, whether in a crosswalk or not. Also, drivers cannot pass a vehicle that is stopped for a pedestrian.
- Prohibited pedestrian crossing: Pedestrians must use a crosswalk when available and refrain from crossing intersections diagonally.
- Driver’s degree of care: Drivers must exercise the highest degree of care to avoid accidents with pedestrians.
Pedestrians can also take precautions to prevent accidents while walking in Missouri, such as:
- Obey traffic signs and signals and observe traffic lights.
- Stay alert, especially in poor weather or lighting conditions.
- Use sidewalks or face traffic when walking on the street.
- Use crosswalks to cross the street at intersections.
- Do not assume drivers see you or will stop for you.
- Wearing light colors or reflective strips when walking at night.
How Brown & Crouppen Law Firm Can Help
With pedestrian accidents at an all-time high in Missouri, pedestrian safety is more crucial than ever. These types of crashes can cause serious injuries that can significantly impact the lives of victims and their families. Working with a trusted pedestrian accident law firm can help victims claim the compensation they’re entitled to.
If you were injured in a pedestrian accident, you’re not alone. From medical care to legal guidance, Brown & Crouppen will make sure you get the treatment and attention you deserve. Our attorneys will fight for what’s fair—working toward a full-value settlement when possible and standing strong in trial on your behalf when it’s not.
Call 800-536-4357 or contact online to schedule your free case evaluation today. There is no cost to get started and no fee for our services unless we win your case.
