- June 29, 2024
- Tucker Law
- Car Accident Lawsuits
When you’re traveling through the city on foot, you count on crosswalks to keep you safe. Whether there’s a pedestrian signal in place or not, a crosswalk is there to tell drivers to give you the right of way. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way. If you’ve suffered a car accident as a pedestrian, you know that, between serious injuries, missed work, and substantial physical pain, these accidents can truly upend your life. Fortunately, a strategy called “daylighting” has shown great promise when it comes to keeping intersections safer for pedestrians. So what is intersection daylighting?
Daylighting Makes a Difference
What is intersection daylighting? The name “daylighting” might make this sound like a complex process involving artificial light. However, it’s deceptively simple. Daylighting an intersection involves limiting parking close to intersections. That makes intersections safer for pedestrians and drivers in a few ways:
- It makes it easier for oncoming drivers to see an entire crosswalk (and not just the portion that isn’t blocked by parked vehicles).
- It lets drivers see around corners, improving overall visibility.
- It makes it easier for pedestrians to see and avoid oncoming cars.
You might wonder how New York City — or any city — can effectively enforce this kind of parking limitation. After all, plenty of drivers ignore blocked-off sections of roadway and “no parking” signs. There’s an easy and inexpensive way to make sure all drivers respect the new parking rules. By installing flexible poles around the perimeter of each restricted spot, the city can prevent cars from using it as a parking space without getting in the way of visibility.
Daylighting — or increasing visibility around intersections — can make city roads safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.
Intersection Daylighting Has Worked in Major Cities to Reduce Car Accidents and Pedestrian Injuries
Statistics Support Daylighting’s Effectiveness
What is the success record of intersection daylighting? Does it actually work? Nationwide statistics suggest that it does. According to the Federal Highway Administration, when cities limit parking immediately next to intersections, pedestrian accidents can be reduced by 30%.
One of the benefits of using daylighting in cities is the fact that it’s relatively inexpensive. Ideally, each intersection would have pedestrian signals and daylighting in place. However, because daylighting lets pedestrians see oncoming vehicles without having to peek around parked cars, it makes intersections safer even without signals.
Intersection Daylighting Reduces Car Accidents and Pedestrian Injuries in Major Cities
Nationwide statistics (and common sense) support using daylighting. But you don’t have to look nationally to see the benefit of this feature. Several major cities have seen a dramatic improvement in pedestrian accidents since implementing daylighting.
- Hoboken, NJ, the fourth most densely populated city in the United States, had zero traffic deaths in seven years as a result of daylighting intersections.
- After San Francisco began daylighting intersections, California passed a law mandating daylighting.
- After implementing daylighting, Jersey City saw a significant reduction in traffic deaths, especially on non-state roads.
Not all cities have committed to daylighting intersections. Some, like New York City, have a Vision Zero policy — meaning they’re striving for zero traffic deaths. However, in many cases, the initiatives are too new to see whether they’re creating meaningful change.
If you have been hit by a vehicle as a pedestrian, get in touch with Tucker Lawyers. Contact us online, use our live chat, or call us at (516) 399-2364.
What to Do if You Are Hurt in a Pedestrian Accident
Getting hurt in a car accident as a pedestrian can be especially disorienting. If you are able to do so, take these steps immediately:
- Get to a safe location (for instance, if you’re in the street, get to a sidewalk).
- If the car does not stop, do your best to remember part of the license plate and/or identifying details about the car.
- Even if you think you might not have had the right of way, don’t admit fault.
- Call 911 to summon both police and medical personnel (this is important even if you don’t think you are injured, because shock can mask symptoms).
- Get the driver’s information, including their driver’s license and insurance information.
- Get medical help.
- Contact a personal injury lawyer before you talk to your insurance company.
You might wonder why it’s so important to call a lawyer before you talk to insurance. The answer is simple — the insurance company is not on your side. Plenty of people make the mistake of trusting their insurers, but your insurers care about saving themselves money more than they care about you. When you talk to an insurance adjuster (especially when you’re shaken up from the accident), it’s easy to say something that makes it harder for you to recover compensation.
If you work with a car accident lawyer, your lawyer can negotiate with the insurance company for you. These lawyers negotiate with insurance companies every day, so they may be able to negotiate a fair settlement for you.
Have You Been Injured in a New York City Traffic Accident?
Get the Help You Need
Intersection daylighting can significantly lower the number of pedestrian injuries in a city. However, that doesn’t mean that every intersection is safe. It’s still possible to be hit by a negligent driver.
At Tucker Lawyers, we firmly believe that any pedestrian harmed by a careless driver should receive compensation for their injuries. Some injuries from traffic accidents have lifelong medical consequences; but even if that’s not your experience, going through the process of treatment and healing can create intense physical, emotional, and financial stress.
If you’ve found yourself in this situation, Tucker Lawyers is here to help.
If you’ve been injured in a traffic accident, get in touch with us online or call us at (516) 399-2364 to schedule a free 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 ]