This chapter discusses the perceptual-cognitive and biomechanical factors involved in pedestrian falls. The chapter also describes the role of forensic human factors/ergonomic (HF/E) and how they use their scientific background in order to formulate expert opinion. The chapter describes how walking, which seems like a simple, natural task that the body performs nearly without thinking is not true. Breaking down biomechanical processes has shown that walking is actually a series of imbalances. Studies of perceptual and cognitive issues show pedestrians gather information about the walking environment using the process of the human information model. These processes interact and determine how the individual gets from one point to another in a given environment. In general, pedestrians believe that walking surfaces are flat and uniform, unless they notice a particular discrepancy. Any unnoticed or unexpected variation in the pedestrian's path can easily lead to a fall and potential injury. Oftentimes, the injury is severe enough to warrant filing a lawsuit to try to recover damages from a party deemed responsible for the dangerous condition.
Abstract