Assisting Injured Pedestrians In New York City
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It is nothing new to say that New York is the “city that never sleeps.” With millions of pedestrians using the city’s streets and sidewalks on a daily basis, accidents are bound to happen. Vehicles are one of the leading causes of accidents, but potholes and poorly maintained sidewalks are also common causes of accidents.
Given the likelihood of pedestrian accidents in the city, it is imperative that victims immediately seek the professional representation of an NYC pedestrian accident lawyer at Sakkas, Cahn & Weiss, LLP.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 4,735 pedestrians killed in traffic crashes in 2013, accounting for 14 percent of all traffic fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Since so many destinations in the city of New York are within walking or cycling distance, many people choose the “pedestrian” mode of transportation overtaking the bus or the subway. Many people consider those on foot as pedestrians, but for statistical purposes, bicyclists, rollerbladers, and others can be considered pedestrians.
New York City’s Plan Of Action For Pedestrian Safety
The Department of Transportation combined statistical data from a wide range of accident reports and identified the most common causes, as well as the results. After the data was analyzed, new rules were implemented in order to combat recurring problems. One example of this is the newly adopted Vision Zero plan, a set of proposals intended to eliminate traffic deaths. As a result of Vision Zero’s continuing efforts, New York City has lowered its default speed limit to 25 miles per hour, from 30 mph, and substantially increased enforcement of speeding laws.
Although New York City is still prone to pedestrian accidents in great numbers, traffic fatalities have significantly decreased since the Vision Zero initiative was launched in 2014. Indeed, according to The New York Times, New York City logged a record low in pedestrian traffic fatalities since the city began keeping records.
Furthermore, annual data also revealed an increase in police enforcement against dangerous driving, as court summonses for speeding increased by 42 percent; and summonses for failure to yield to pedestrians increased by 126 percent. In addition to Vision Zero, the city council has passed a number of traffic safety bills, including Cooper’s Law, which allows the city to suspend and revoke the license of a taxi driver or delivery driver who kills or maims a pedestrian who has the right of way.
Fighting For Your Rights
Although the city has taken great measures to remediate the problem and improve pedestrian safety, accidents still happen. If you are harmed or your loved one was killed in an accident, contact the experienced pedestrian injury attorneys at 212-571-7171 or contact us online.
