Tuscaloosa has one of Alabama's largest concentrations of pedestrian activity, concentrated around the University of Alabama campus where tens of thousands of students, faculty, and visitors walk daily. University Boulevard, 15th Street, and the campus crosswalks at their intersections see constant pedestrian traffic from early morning through late evening. When drivers fail to yield at those crosswalks, or when impaired drivers drift off McFarland Boulevard, the injuries to pedestrians are almost always serious. At Simmons Law, Chris Simmons represents pedestrians struck by vehicles throughout Tuscaloosa County.
Where Pedestrian Accidents Happen in Tuscaloosa
The University of Alabama campus crosswalks are the highest-volume pedestrian zones in the county. University Boulevard between the campus core and the commercial strip, and 15th Street running north-south through the student residential neighborhoods, see the most pedestrian activity. Game days and evening hours after events raise risk significantly — impaired drivers exiting parking areas near Bryant-Denny Stadium are involved in pedestrian accidents in post-game traffic.
Jack Warner Parkway along the Black Warrior River is a popular running and walking route where pedestrians share a road with vehicle traffic, and the limited lighting in some sections creates visibility hazards at dawn, dusk, and nighttime. McFarland Boulevard, despite being primarily a commercial vehicle corridor, has pedestrian crossings near retail centers where crash risk is elevated by the high posted speed limits and the difficulty drivers have seeing pedestrians against a cluttered visual background.
Alabama Pedestrian Right-of-Way Law
Alabama Code § 32-5A-211 requires drivers to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in marked crosswalks. Drivers must also exercise due care to avoid hitting pedestrians regardless of where a pedestrian is crossing. When a driver fails to yield at a marked crosswalk on University Boulevard or runs through a red light at a campus intersection, that failure is a violation of Alabama traffic law and direct evidence of negligence.
Pedestrian accident cases require immediate and thorough evidence collection. Surveillance footage from nearby businesses or university cameras often captures the moment of impact and the driver's behavior in the seconds before the crash. Witnesses in high-pedestrian areas like the UA campus are often available. Chris Simmons moves quickly to preserve this evidence before it is overwritten or lost.
Injuries and Treatment
There is no protective barrier between a pedestrian and a 4,000-pound vehicle. Pedestrian accidents in Tuscaloosa — whether on University Boulevard, near Bryant-Denny Stadium, or along McFarland Boulevard — produce some of the most severe injuries that DCH Regional Medical Center's Level II Trauma Center at 809 University Boulevard East treats. Traumatic brain injuries, pelvic fractures, spinal injuries, and lower extremity crush injuries are common outcomes. The long-term medical and rehabilitation costs associated with serious pedestrian injuries frequently dwarf the at-fault driver's insurance policy limits.
When the at-fault driver's liability coverage is inadequate to cover the full extent of a pedestrian's injuries, the pedestrian's own UM/UIM coverage under Alabama Code § 32-7-23 may provide additional recovery. Chris Simmons evaluates all available sources of recovery — not just the most obvious one — to ensure injured pedestrians receive the full compensation they are owed. Cases are filed in the Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court at 714 Greensboro Avenue when litigation is necessary.
