Fall is a beautiful time to travel. Cooler temperatures, changing leaves, football games, festivals, and weekend trips bring more people onto Pennsylvania’s roads, sidewalks, bike paths, and highways. However, fall also brings unique hazards, from wet leaves and early sunsets to fog, frost, rain, and slippery roads.

Whether you are walking, riding a bicycle, or driving, taking a few extra precautions can help prevent a serious accident.

Fall Hazards for Pedestrians

Shorter days mean more people are walking during low-light or nighttime conditions. Drivers may have difficulty seeing pedestrians, particularly in rain, fog, glare, or areas with poor lighting.

Pedestrians should:

• Use sidewalks whenever they are available.
• Cross at marked crosswalks or intersections whenever possible.
• Make eye contact with drivers before entering a roadway.
• Wear bright or reflective clothing when walking in low-light conditions.
• Be especially careful around driveways, parking lots, and vehicles backing up.
• Watch for wet leaves, uneven pavement, potholes, and other hazards on sidewalks and walking paths.

Drivers also have a responsibility to watch carefully for pedestrians, particularly at crosswalks and intersections. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 7,080 pedestrians were killed and more than 71,000 were injured in traffic crashes in 2024.

Fall Bicycle Safety

Fall can be an ideal time for a bike ride, but changing weather and road conditions can make cycling more dangerous.

Bicyclists should watch for:

• Wet leaves and slippery pavement
• Potholes and uneven surfaces
• Gravel and debris
• Poor visibility at dawn, dusk, and nighttime
• Railroad tracks and storm grates
• Vehicles turning or pulling out of driveways
• Car doors opening into bike lanes

NHTSA recommends that bicyclists ride with traffic, obey traffic signals, remain visible, use appropriate lights and reflective equipment, and wear a properly fitted helmet.

Drivers should remember that bicyclists have a right to share the road. Give cyclists adequate space when passing, check carefully before turning, and look for bicycles in intersections, bike lanes, parking lots, and driveways.

Fall Driving Hazards

Fall weather can change quickly. Rain, fog, frost, wet leaves, and sun glare can all affect a driver’s ability to see and stop safely.

PennDOT specifically warns that wet leaves can be as slippery as ice and can obscure lane markings and other pavement markings. Drivers should slow down and increase following distance when traveling on leaf-covered or wet roads.

Other conditions to watch for include:

• Wet Roads: Rain reduces traction and can increase stopping distance. Slow down and leave additional space between your vehicle and the one ahead.
• Fog: Fog can dramatically reduce visibility. Use low-beam headlights and slow down.
• Sun Glare: The sun sits lower in the sky during fall mornings and evenings, potentially making it difficult to see pedestrians, bicyclists, traffic signals, and other vehicles.
• Frost and Ice: Overnight temperatures can create icy patches, particularly on bridges, overpasses, and shaded portions of roadways.
• Leaves and Debris: Leaves can hide potholes, pavement markings, and other roadway hazards, and wet leaves can make the road extremely slippery.

Injuries Can Be Serious

A fall accident or roadway collision can cause much more than a few bumps and bruises. Depending on the circumstances, injuries may include:

• Broken and fractured bones
• Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
• Spinal cord and back injuries
• Neck injuries
• Shoulder and other joint injuries
• Knee and leg injuries
• Internal injuries
• Soft-tissue injuries
• Road rash and other serious skin injuries
• Permanent disabilities
• Fatal injuries

For pedestrians and bicyclists, the consequences of a collision with a motor vehicle can be particularly severe because they lack the protection provided by a vehicle’s frame and safety systems.

What If Unsafe Road Conditions Cause Your Accident?

Not every fall accident is simply an unfortunate event. A crash or fall may result from another person’s negligence—or from a dangerous condition that someone should have identified and corrected.

Depending on the circumstances, potential sources of responsibility may include:

• A distracted or speeding driver.
• A driver who fails to yield to a pedestrian or bicyclist.
• A property owner who fails to maintain a safe sidewalk.
• A municipality responsible for roadway or sidewalk maintenance.
• A business that fails to address a dangerous condition.
• A contractor that creates an unsafe roadway or pedestrian area.

If you are injured, try to document the scene if you can safely do so. Take photographs of the road, sidewalk, weather, lighting, debris, potholes, vehicles, and other conditions that may have contributed to the accident. Seek medical attention and report the accident to the appropriate authorities or property owner.

Injured in a Fall Accident or Crash?

At Galfand Berger LLP, we represent people who have been seriously injured because someone else failed to act reasonably and safely. Our attorneys have represented injured pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, workers, and families throughout Pennsylvania.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a pedestrian, bicycle, automobile, or premises liability accident, contact Galfand Berger LLP. You may have the right to seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses resulting from your injuries. 

Galfand Berger LLP has stood on the side of injured people and working families since 1947. Call 800-222-8792 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. We have offices in Philadelphia and Reading, PA, and we serve clients across PA and NJ.