New Bill Proposes More Rights for NYC Pedestrians in Crosswalk

 A proposed bill in New York City, if it becomes law, would give pedestrians the right of way, even when the crossing light is flashing. According to a news report on CBS New York, under current New York City law, pedestrians crossing a street in a crosswalk with a “Walk, Don’t Walk” sign only have the right of way if they have begun crossing when the sign shows a white walk signal.
There is now a push to change that with this bill saying that as long as the crosswalk signal shows the equivalent of a “Walk” signal or a blinking “Don’t Walk” signal, or as long as the countdown clock has not reached zero, the pedestrian should have the right of way. This bill has received the support of the New York Police Department. Advocates of this new bill say the current law is outdated and provides drivers with a loophole to not be held accountable for pedestrian accidents.

The Vision Zero Program
Pedestrian safety has shown improvement after Mayor Bill de Blasio launched his Vision Zero program, but there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. According to the city’s statistics, 2015 was officially the safest year on New York City streets since record keeping began in 1910. Officials reported 231 traffic accident fatalities in 2015, 66 lower than the 297 fatalities in 2013, the year before Vision Zero commenced. Pedestrian deaths dropped 27 percent during the same period to 134, a historic low, in 2015.
The goal of the mayor’s Vision Zero program is to reduce traffic injuries and deaths by cracking down on careless drivers and by redesigning roadways and intersections that are dangerous for pedestrians. Among other program initiatives are speed enforcement efforts. The city installed speed cameras, especially around school zones where there is an increased occurrence of pedestrian accidents. Research shows that high-speed pedestrian accidents significantly increase the probability of a fatality.
If this bill becomes law in New York City, it will hopefully offer more protection for pedestrians and create more awareness among motorists to stop at crosswalks and yield the right of way to pedestrians. In this city, we often see serious injury pedestrian accidents that occur when motorists make a turn while failing to see pedestrians walking in crosswalks. If you are a driver, it is critical that you remain attentive and keep your eyes on the roadway at all times.
What Steps Can You Take?
If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident in New York City, there are a number of steps you can take to help protect your legal rights:
• File a police report and obtain a copy of that report for your records.
• Get emergency medical attention and go to a hospital to seek treatment and care for any injuries you may have suffered. This helps document the incident as well as the injuries you suffered and type of care and treatment you received.
• Try to collect as much evidence as possible from the scene. If you are unable to do so because of your injuries, have a friend or family member do that for you. Critical pieces of evidence at the scene include photographs, contact information for eyewitnesses, physical evidence such as torn, stained or bloody clothing, etc.
• Save all receipts of expenses relating to your accident/injury.
• Contact an experienced New York City pedestrian accident lawyer who will fight for your rights and ensure that you receive maximum compensation for your losses.
Compensation for Injured Pedestrians
Injured victims of pedestrian accidents can seek compensation from the at-fault motorist for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injury, disability, loss of livelihood, past and future pain and suffering, etc. The family of a deceased victim can file a wrongful death claim seeking compensation for damages as well.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian 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. For over 49 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 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, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck.
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.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
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Source: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/04/04/pedestrian-crosswalk-law/