Under a new bill signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul, new drivers in New York will soon be required to learn about pedestrian and bicyclist safety before getting their license. According to a report on Gothamist.com, the law makes pedestrian and bicyclist safety awareness a mandatory component of the pre-licensing course for driver’s license applicants and adds the topic to the required written exam for getting a license.
Important Educational Component
The measure will include an overview of drivers’ duty to exercise due care when it
comes to pedestrians and bicyclists. This new law comes at a time when bike ridership has surged and after concerns over pedestrian safety prompted advocates to call for traffic improvements. Governor Hochul said this law will help prevent crashes and save lives. The law is set to take effect in January 2023.
The new measure aims to educate drivers about the dangers faced by bicyclists and pedestrians and is expected to “create a thoughtful road culture going forward”. Until now, the New York State’s Driver’s Manual included a single page on sharing the road safely with pedestrians, bicyclists and skateboarders.
Pedestrians and Bicyclists in Peril
The state will seek input from law enforcement, bicycle and pedestrian advocates as well as those in the medical field regarding building the new curriculum, the news article stated. A recent city transportation report estimates that about 530,000 cycling trips are made each day, tripling the number from 15 years ago.
Pedestrian deaths were up in the first quarter of this year in comparison to the period before the pandemic. Another report by the city’s Department of Transportation showed that driver distraction, failure to yield the right of way and unsafe speeds were the top contributing factors in crashes.
Injuries and Damages
Pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents have the potential to result in catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, multiple broken bones, internal organ damage etc. Dealing with the aftermath of such life-changing injuries can be overwhelming for victims.
A New York bicycle accident victim or a pedestrian accident victim can seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, hospitalization, cost of rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. An experienced New York personal injury lawyer will be able to guide victims’ families through what can be a complex legal process.
In cases where negligence (carelessness) has been involved, families of deceased bicycle accident victims may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit seeking compensation for damages such as medical expenses, funeral costs, loss of future income, pain and suffering, and loss of care and companionship.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident or pedestrian 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.
Pedestrian accident victims and their families should also 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.
For over 50 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm 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.
We also obtained $295,000 out of a $300,000 insurance policy in compensation for the victim of a bicycle dooring accident (where a car door opens into the path of a bicyclist). 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 and/or medical malpractice 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://gothamist.com/news/hochul-signs-bill-mandating-new-ny-drivers-be-tested-on-cyclist-and-pedestrian-safety-awareness