25 Apr The Mental Impact of Getting Hit by A Vehicle as a Pedestrian

Summerlin is known for its clean streets, scenic walking trails, master-planned neighborhoods, and an overall reputation for being one of the safest, most peaceful areas in the Las Vegas Valley.

Unfortunately, that safety doesn’t mean pedestrians are always protected.

Even in a well-designed suburb like Summerlin, where people take pride in the planned beauty of the community, pedestrian accidents happen, and when they do, the effects go way beyond the physical. A pedestrian accident lawyer in Summerlin is the one you should go to if you suffer any such effects.

This article is about those effects. Not just the broken bones or twisted ankles. We’re going to talk about what happens in your mind when you’re walking down a street and suddenly a driver fails to notice you.

PTSD

One of the most intense emotional injuries people face after being hit by a car is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD.

Victims of pedestrian accidents often report having nightmares. Not just any dreams, but vivid, detailed replays of the crash, again and again. They may even have flashbacks during the day.

Then there’s the anxiety, not just nervousness, but a constant sense of something bad about to happen. It sticks around like a shadow, especially when you’re near traffic. And it doesn’t matter if it’s a busy road or just the entrance to your neighborhood. Your brain now treats even safe places as threats. And that’s exhausting.

All of a sudden, you start feeling like there’s this cloud over everything. You can’t laugh the way you used to. You stop doing the stuff you used to love. And none of this shows on the outside, which makes it even harder for other people to understand.

Fear

After an accident, many people feel something that’s harder to explain than pain: fear. Not the kind you feel watching a scary movie. This is deeper. It’s the kind that makes you flinch every time a car gets too close.

This fear isn’t irrational. It comes from experience. Your body remembers the pain. Your mind remembers the impact. And even though your logical brain tells you that you’re fine now, your emotions don’t believe it.

It’s common for victims to avoid places that remind them of the crash; it could be a particular street, a certain crosswalk, or even the time of day it happened. You might hear a car honk and instantly feel your chest tighten. That’s what trauma does. It rewires your brain’s safety system.

Depression

People don’t talk enough about the depression that can follow. You might not even notice it at first. It starts small, maybe you stop texting your friends. Maybe you stop caring about school, or your favorite music doesn’t sound the same. And soon, you just feel empty.

For some people, this sadness turns into full-blown depression, the kind that makes it hard to get out of bed. The pain in your body may get better, but the emotional weight sticks around.

It gets heavier with medical bills, missed school or work, and the feeling of being left behind. And if your injuries limit your mobility, you start to feel isolated, like you’re cut off from the world you used to be part of.

This emotional weight can push people into dangerous places. Some lose hope. Some feel like no one understands. That’s why it’s so important to talk about this part of pedestrian accidents because the emotional injury can be just as damaging, if not more.

Conclusion: Getting Therapy to Heal

A lot of people think therapy is only for people who are “broken.” That is untrue. After a traumatic experience like being hit by a car, talking to a therapist can literally save your life.

Many people with PTSD from pedestrian accidents need therapy to understand what happened and how to move forward. Therapy helps people unpack their anger, fear, sadness, and confusion.

Therapists help with techniques to manage anxiety, handle panic attacks, and even learn how to sleep again. They help people feel safe again.  And if you’ve been an accident victim, you would greatly benefit from what they have to offer.

More information:

• Assessment and treatment of PTSD after a motor vehicle collision: Empirical findings and clinical observations
  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2396820/

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• If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at org. To learn how to get support for mental health, drug or alcohol conditions, visit FindSupport.gov. If you are ready to locate a treatment facility or provider, you can go directly to FindTreatment.govor call 800-662-HELP (4357).
• US. veterans or service members who are in crisis can call 988 and then press “1” for the Veterans Crisis Line. Or text 838255. Or chat online.
• The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. has a Spanish language phone line at 1-888-628-9454 (toll-free).

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Last Updated on April 25, 2025 by Marie Benz MD FAAD