A Bloomberg News investigation shows that serious traffic accident-related injuries have been increasing despite the introduction of traffic-calming measures and a decrease over a decade in pedestrian deaths. The news outlet reports that between 2022 and 2024, serious injuries from traffic accidents rose 10% citywide with double-digit increases across all modes of transportation: 12% for pedestrians, 12% for motorists and 10% for bicyclists. The number of people seriously injured in motor vehicle crashes has steadily increased since 2020, the report states citing New York City Department of Transportation statistics.
What the Analysis Shows
Catastrophic injuries including amputations have become more frequent in recent years, according to data from the New York City Department of Transportation’s Serious Incident Response, Tracking and Analysis (SIRTA) program, which was analyzed by the safety advocacy group Transportation Alternatives and shared exclusively with Bloomberg CityLab. These are injuries that result in death, disfigurement or permanent, life-altering injuries.
Nearly 3,000 New Yorkers suffer serious injuries in vehicle accidents each year — which amounts to eight per day and about 60 a week. The increase in such injuries was most pronounced in Queens, the analysis found, where the number of pedestrians seriously injured by motor vehicles jumped by 29% in just three years. Severe crashes were 19% higher per capita than the citywide average in the top 10 Latino districts and 23% higher in the top 10 low-income districts.
The Bronx especially had 20% more serious injuries overall per capita compared to the rest of the city. The only outlier was Staten Island where such injuries dropped slightly in 2024. Also, while 2023 was the safest year on record for New York City pedestrians, it was one of the deadliest for bicyclists. Experts attribute this alarming number to the growing popularity of e-bikes and e-scooters. In 2023, e-bikers accounted for almost 75% of the bicycle accident fatalities.
The Role of Negligence (Carelessness) in Major Injury Crashes
Negligence (carelessness) plays a critical role in major injury collisions and is often the primary legal factor used to determine fault and liability. In legal terms, negligence occurs when a person fails to exercise reasonable care, resulting in harm to another. In the context of auto accidents, this may include behaviors such as speeding, distracted driving, running red lights or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
When a driver acts negligently, they put themselves and others at significant risk. Major injury collisions often occur because one or more parties failed to follow traffic laws or acted carelessly. For example, a distracted driver who rear-ends another vehicle at high speed may be found negligent (careless) for not paying attention to the road. Similarly, a fatigued driver who drifts into oncoming traffic can cause devastating head-on collisions due to negligent operation of their vehicle.
Proving negligence (carelessness) is essential in personal injury cases, as it determines whether the injured party is entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages and benefits, pain and suffering and other damages. Evidence such as police reports, witness statements and traffic camera footage often play a key role in establishing fault.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
Injured pedestrian accident and bicycle accident victims may be able to seek compensation for damages including but not limited to medical expenses, lost income and benefits, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families of deceased pedestrian accident victims may also be able to seek compensation by filing a wrongful death claim against the at-fault parties.
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.
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.
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.
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1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
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Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-05-09/nyc-s-streets-saw-serious-injuries-rise-as-traffic-returne