- January 15, 2020
- Tucker Law
- Personal Injury Lawsuits
The week before Christmas was a tragic one for six New York City pedestrians. In the span of just three days, 6 were killed on our city’s roads. As reported by the New York Times (2019), those deaths included…
- A woman who was killed by a truck traveling in reverse.
- A pedestrian struck by a private sanitation vehicle.
- A person who died after being struck by 3 vehicles.
The other three pedestrians killed were senior citizens. Four out of 6 of the deaths involved commercial vehicles. So, 6 pedestrians killed in 3 days in NYC. How do New Yorkers interpret such horrific news? These tragedies are far too common in New York’s headlines, and they illustrate a serious challenge facing our city.
Pedestrian Deaths In New York City
Pedestrian deaths have been a major concern this year. So far in 2019, 114 pedestrians were killed in vehicle crashes, four more than in 2018. Pedestrian deaths in NYC in 2019 weren’t the only disturbing trend; cyclist fatalities have doubled this year, too. This is in line with a national trend of increasing pedestrian and cyclist deaths. Last year was the deadliest for pedestrians and cyclists in the U.S. since 1990.
This is perplexing for all New Yorkers who placed their hope in Mayor DeBlasio’s initiative to make our streets safer, especially in the wake of increasing motorcycle accident concerns. Vision Zero has included safety implementations that give pedestrians a head start at crosswalks and have installed 224 speed cameras in New York City. The city has been moving forward with $1.7 billion to install protected bike lanes.
6 Pedestrians Killed in NYC – Why Is This Happening?
So, if the city is pushing forward to safer streets for pedestrians, why does it seem as though things keep getting worse? When you hear that there were 6 pedestrians killed in NYC in just 72 hours, it’s difficult not to question our current approach.
Safety experts suggest that several factors are at play. The rising popularity of sports-utility vehicles is one possible explanation. The increase in the popularity of smartphones might also suggest that distraction is becoming a serious problem for every type of road user.
Alcohol use is a common factor in pedestrian accidents.Nearly half of crashes leading to pedestrian deaths involve alcohol use either by the pedestrian or the driver of the vehicle (CDC, 2023). Drunk driving increases during the holidays, so it’s vital to be especially vigilant this time of year.
Age is another contributing factor in pedestrian collisions. People age 65 and older make up around one-fifth of pedestrian deaths every year in the U.S. Around 20 percent of children under the age of 15 who are killed in traffic crashes are pedestrians.
Do Commercial Vehicles Play a Role in Pedestrian Deaths?
Commercial vehicles were involved in two-thirds of the collisions that resulted in 6 pedestrian deaths in NYC. Clearly, commercial vehicles were part of this deadly 3-day span, but it’s worth questioning the everyday dangers large vehicles pose to pedestrians and cyclists.
Safety officials have stated that trucks and buses are overrepresented in vehicle crashes (U.S. Department of Transportation, 2019). Hundreds of pedestrians are killed each year in crashes involving large trucks. Because of their size and weight, these vehicles pose a major threat to every type of road user, especially those as vulnerable as pedestrians and cyclists.
Tips for Pedestrians in NYC
Because of the number of pedestrians killed in New York City, we must all remember that our streets are nowhere near as safe as they should be. We are all pedestrians at some point in our day, so we can do everything possible to avoid becoming a tragic statistic.
Here are a few tips for pedestrians in New York City:
- When walking at night in dimly lit areas, wear brightly colored or reflective clothing.
- Always walk on designated crosswalks and cross the streets at designated crossings.
- Don’t assume that a driver sees you.
- Don’t jaywalk or cross when a pedestrian light is red.
- If possible, make eye contact with a driver to ensure that they see you.
Unfortunately, New York City has a long way to go before we can consider it safe for pedestrians and cyclists. The statistics have not been comforting, and we can all hope that the coming year and decade will yield better news.
In the meantime, we can hold careless drivers accountable for the harm they’ve caused.
Contact Tucker Lawyers PC to Speak to Our NYC Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
At Tucker Lawyers PC, our pedestrian accident lawyers hold reckless drivers responsible for injuries they cause. We know how serious these crashes are for pedestrians and those who have loved ones injured in a collision.
You might be facing medical bills, lost time at work and incredible pain and suffering. These costs are all recoverable through legal action. Personal injury claims are your tool to get the payment you deserve. You should never have to pay the price for someone else’s mistakes.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, don’t hesitate to contact Tucker car accident lawyers PC to learn more about your legal options. Our team offers free legal consultations, and we earn no fee unless we win your case. If you can’t make it to one of our New York City offices, we can come to you.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Team
When we hear news about pedestrians being killed in New York City, we are concerned about our city’s road safety. We’ve handled many of these cases, and the devastation our clients suffer is a sober reminder of how great the toll of these tragedies can be.
Contact our team today to schedule a free case evaluation. Just like all New Yorkers, we want our streets to be safer for pedestrians. We also want to get injured pedestrians the payment they are entitled to by law. If you’ve had the misfortune of being involved in a pedestrian accident in New York City and you want to speak to an NYC personal injury attorney, give Tucker Lawyers PC a call today at (516) 399-2364 to get started on your case review.
Managing Attorney John. J. Tucker, Esq.
John has personally handled thousands of clients who were victims of another’s negligence and fights relentlessly for their rights. John enjoys bringing closure to a client’s matter so that the injured party can move forward with their life. His background enables him to evaluate complex liability related claims and bring resolution to claims in a record time frame. [ Attorney Bio ]