Pedestrian Deaths Reach Crisis Level In NYC
Pedestrian accidents in NYC are rising at an alarming rate, according to recent statistics. Of the 173 pedestrians killed last year in traffic accidents, 46 fatalities were concentrated in Queens – dubbed the borough of death for 2013.
For some victims, looking both ways before crossing the street simply wasn’t enough, as with the case of 47 year-old Marion Anderson and 60 year-old Lizette Serano, who were both struck down and killed by a vehicle while they crossed a Willowbrook street in Staten Island.
“I feel like we’re forgotten, pedestrians,” said Serano’s spouse. “People just don’t pay attention. It’s really bad. It looked like a train hit her. She was all broken up. Broken bruises on her cheek.”
Pedestrian deaths in NYC up 15 percent this year
The NY Post reports that the number of pedestrian deaths in all New York City boroughs has risen 15.5 percent since 2011, suggesting a need for stricter traffic violation enforcements.
Early this month, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a multiagency task force that was being assembled to help reduce traffic and pedestrian accidents in NYC. Of his “Vision Zero” initiative, Mayor de Blasio says, “We are moving very aggressively in terms of new enforcement measures, additional personnel at the NYPD focused on traffic issues, speed cameras…The precinct commander is doing exactly what we want our precinct commanders to do.”
Are pedestrians to blame for getting hit by a car?
A recent spate of pedestrian fatalities at 96th and Broadway on the Upper West Side has prompted the NYPD to station officers to act as crossing guards. A 26 year-old woman who was fatally hit by a passing ambulance marked the third pedestrian death at the dangerous intersection. Police are cracking down on jaywalkers at the crossing, and in one week issued 18 tickets to pedestrians.
An elderly Chinese immigrant was one of the pedestrians given a jaywalking summons at the Broadway intersection. According to CBS News, Kang Chun Wong suffered head injuries during his ticketing, though the case is still under investigation. NYPD say that Wong fell to the ground after a struggle began, but until more facts emerge, the accident is still under review.
Mayor de Blasio’s new initiative hopes to bring the number of pedestrian deaths in New York down to zero by enforcing updated traffic rules, including ticketing speeders who were caught on camera but only sent warnings before.
This past summer, the NY state legislature endorsed a program that would install 20 speed-tracking cameras in school zones. Hopefully, efforts such as these will prevent future deaths like that of an 8 year-old boy killed just steps from his school on Northern Boulevard and 61st Street.
Speak to a New York pedestrian accident lawyer
If you or a loved one are considering a car accident lawsuit against a reckless or negligent driver in New York, an attorney from The Sanders Firm will outline your options for legal recourse. You may have the right to claim compensation for related medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, lost wages and other damages.
To speak with a New York pedestrian accident lawyer about your potential case, please contact our law firm today to schedule a free consultation. Call 1.800.FAIR.PLAY Resources
- NY Post, Pedestrian fatalities on the rise across city, https://nypost.com/2013/11/30/pedestrian-fatalities-on-the-rise-across-city/
- NY Daily News, Borough of Death: Queens has highest fatalities for pedestrians in 2013, https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens-deadliest-borough-pedestrians-2013-article-1.1583426
- CBS New York, Crackdown On Jaywalking After 3 Traffic Deaths At 96th And Broadway On UWS, https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/01/20/crackdown-on-jaywalking-after-3-traffic-deaths-at-96th-and-broadway-on-uws/
- NY Times, De Blasio Announces Steps to Reduce Traffic Deaths, https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/16/nyregion/de-blasio-announces-steps-to-reduce-traffic-deaths.html?_r=0
