Frances Rickard, 90, was fatally struck by two cars including a yellow taxi as she crossed the street on the Upper East Side the evening of Feb. 5. According to a report in the New York Post, the pedestrian accident occurred when Rickard was crossing at York Avenue and East 72nd Street and a 68-year-old man driving the taxicab made a U-turn and struck her. Moments after the taxi struck Rickard, a 35-year-old woman driving an SUV also hit her, police said.
The elderly woman, who lived on the Upper West Side, was rushed to an area hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. Both drivers remained at the scene. Neither has been charged in connection with the pedestrian accident, pending an official investigation. We offer our deepest condolences to Frances Rickard’s family.
Accidents Involving Elderly Pedestrians in NYC
In New York City, residents who are 65 years or older make up less than 15% of the population but account for over 45% of pedestrian fatalities. This disproportionate statistic highlights the vulnerability of senior pedestrians who walk the city’s busy streets and intersections. City data shows that elderly pedestrians are not struck more frequently than younger individuals, but when older people are involved in collisions, they suffer more serious, and often, fatal injuries.
A significant number of fatal incidents involving seniors occur during daylight hours. Approximately 73% of older pedestrian fatal crashes in NYC happen between 7 a.m. and 5:59 p.m., compared to 52% nationally for the same age group. Geographically, certain neighborhoods exhibit higher rates of senior pedestrian fatalities. Midtown-Midtown South, for instance, reported 223 fatal senior pedestrian accidents in a recent year, with a rate exceeding 5,500 per 100,000 seniors.
In response to these concerning statistics, the NYC Department of Transportation has initiated measures aimed at enhancing senior pedestrian safety. These initiatives include creating senior pedestrian safety zones, extending crossing times at crosswalks, improving bus stop safety and implementing turn-calming treatments at targeted intersections, which include design elements such as median extensions, narrowed turn lanes and specifically designed pavement markings aimed at slowing vehicle turning speeds.
Compensation in Pedestrian Accident Cases
Injured victims of pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents can seek compensation from at-fault parties for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families that have lost loved ones in pedestrian accidents can seek compensation for damages such as medical and funeral costs, pain and suffering, lost future income, etc.
Pedestrian accident victims and their families should remember that they can seek compensation for injuries or losses in collisions even if the victim was not walking in a marked crosswalk and even if the driver involved in collision was not charged. Our law firm recovered the full one-million-dollar insurance policy for a girl who was not in the crosswalk when a motor vehicle hit her.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident or bicycle accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent (careless) driver, 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.
For over 53 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. We recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist 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, and $2,000,000 in a hit-and-run accident, and 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, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
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, lead poisoning and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, 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.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: https://nypost.com/2025/02/06/us-news/woman-90-fatally-struck-by-2-cars-including-yellow-taxi-in-nyc-cops/