Data Shows Pedestrian Deaths Rise in NYC After Daylight Saving Time Ends

 The New York Police Department is expected to step up enforcement at dangerous intersections as the city heads into what is traditionally the deadliest time of the year for pedestrians. According to a CBS New York news report, data collected by city officials between the years 2010 and 2014 show that there is a spike in the number of fatalities caused by pedestrian accidents on New York City streets right after Daylight Saving Time ends. This is the time when the sun sets around 5 p.m. – and the time of the evening when pedestrian traffic in the city is heaviest.

Officials stated that severe and fatal injuries for pedestrians increased 40 percent in the late afternoon and early evening hours from November to March. In 2015, 40 percent of the fatalities occurred in the last three months of the year, according to the data. In the eight days following the end of Daylight Saving Time last year, nine pedestrians were killed in the city. All but three of those fatal crashes happened after dusk. Daylight Saving Time ends Nov. 6 this year.
Campaign to Curb Pedestrian Accidents
Mayor Bill de Blasio has unveiled a $1.5 million safety campaign called “Dusk and Darkness” as part of his Vision Zero program that will include radio and TV ads, transit signs and billboards to alert drivers to be more careful during the early evening hours. New York City will also be installing new, brighter LED street lighting for enhanced visibility as part of this campaign. Police officers will be handing out cards reminding everyone to be careful between dusk and darkness at some of the city’s most dangerous intersections.
In addition, the NYPD will crack down on drivers who speed, fail to yield the right of way to pedestrians, drive while texting or talking on the phone and those who block bike lanes. There will also be heightened enforcement as more officers patrol the streets between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. The city has already witnessed 114 pedestrian deaths in 2016 compared to a total of 96 pedestrian accident fatalities in all of 2015. The safety campaign is also reaching out specifically to taxi and livery drivers and people at senior centers.
Tips for Motorists
There are a number of steps drivers in New York City can take in order to prevent these tragic pedestrian accidents, particularly during the winter months when the days are shorter. Here are a few tips for motorists:
• Prepare your vehicle. Keep headlights, taillights, signals and auxiliary lights clean and in good working condition. Clean the windshield and replace wipers regularly. This will help enhance visibility, particularly when it is dark outside.
• Motorists should drive with their vehicle’s headlight lights turned on. Use high beams when possible to increase sight distance. However, keep headlights on low beams when following another vehicle or when encountering oncoming traffic to avoid blinding other drivers.
• Reduce your speed and increase your following distance. Managing your speed carefully will give you the time and space that would be needed to avoid potential accidents.
• Take steps to combat fatigue. Driving while drowsy may impair your judgment and affect your reflexes. Get plenty of rest before getting behind the wheel.
• Stop and yield the right of way to pedestrians. Also, look for pedestrians as you drive on busy roadways or near crowded intersections.
If You Have Been Injured
Victims who have been injured in a pedestrian accident due to the actions of a reckless or negligent driver may be eligible to receive compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a man who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
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Source: https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/10/27/daylight-saving-time-pedestrian-deaths/