Newly released numbers show New York City has become increasingly dangerous to pedestrians in 2024, The New York Times reports. Ten years into an effort to reduce traffic fatalities in New York City through the Vision Zero initiative, total deaths have begun to trend upward in recent years after going down during the first five years of the initiative. In some categories, particularly pedestrian accident fatalities, the numbers crept up in 2024, according to city data, the Times reports.
The Issue of Driver Carelessness
Drive negligence (carelessness) was a factor in many pedestrian versus vehicle collisions. There were a number of notable incidents. In July 21, a 51-year-old man was killed by a driver who ran a red light in Harlem. In October, Felix Mendez, a 49-year-old immigrant, was killed by a driver while he waited at an intersection in Brooklyn. On Christmas Day, a taxi driver struck six pedestrians including a 9-year-old boy in Midtown Manhattan.
In Brooklyn on Dec. 31, a reckless driver who officials say was inattentive, struck two women pushing strollers as they crossed Nostrand Avenue at Kings Highway in a marked crosswalk. The women, ages 62 and 56, as well as a 1-year-old in a stroller, were injured.
Surge in Pedestrian Fatalities
In 2024, there was nearly an 18% surge in pedestrian deaths, which increased to 119 through Dec. 30 from 101 during the same period in 2023. The city said that the 2023 figure was the lowest in 115 years of recorded data, and that 2024 was on track to be the fifth lowest in that time. However, transportation experts and safety advocacy groups say the increase in the number of e-bikes, scooters and other mechanized ways of navigating the streets has radically affected street safety improvements.
Experts say some ways to improve on gains from Vision Zero including changing traffic signaling to allow pedestrians more time to walk across and tougher penalties for motorists who speed or run red lights. Others say pedestrian fatalities have been high partly due to the size and shape of vehicles. Heavier cars mean people who get hit by them are less likely to survive a collision. Because many SUVs and trucks are designed with flat fronts, pedestrians are pulled underneath and killed instead of being flipped on to the hood, safety experts say.
Injuries and Compensation
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.
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Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/01/nyregion/walkable-new-york-city-became-deadlier-for-pedestrians-in-2024.html