Pedestrian fatalities in the city have surged 58% so far this year compared to the same period in 2020 – to 41 deaths from 26 – in spite of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Vision Zero program that aims to make city streets less dangerous for pedestrians. According to a report in the New York Post, in 2018 and 2019, there were 31 and 34 pedestrian accident deaths respectively, in the same period between Jan. 1 and April 28.
Recent Pedestrian Accidents
There have been a number of recent pedestrian accidents in New York City. On April 24, a 77-year-old woman was struck by a motorist as she crossed Nostrand Avenue at Avenue H in Midwood. The driver did not stop and still remains at large. In another tragedy in Crown Heights, a pedestrian died two days after an MTA bus driver struck a pole, which fell on top of him and crushed him to death. On April 17, a 71-year-old pedestrian was struck by an e-biker near the intersection of Amsterdam Avenue and West 78th Street on the Upper West Side. He succumbed to his injuries eight days later.
Criticism of Vision Zero
Mayor de Blasio launched the Vision Zero program in 2014 to target “problem
streets” for safety improvements such as re-timed traffic signals, bike lanes and new signage. The city also reduced the speed limit to 25 mph on most streets. The administration credited Vision Zero with five straight years of declining traffic-related deaths.
Safety activists have criticized the Vision Zero program saying it actually inconvenienced pedestrians and motorists. They say the protected bike lanes narrowed the roadway making traffic much worse. For pedestrians, crossing the street has become as dangerous as crossing a motor speedway, especially for older people, advocates say.
Officials for their part have said as the city is emerging from the coronavirus pandemic, they look forward to continuing street improvement work that was curtailed by COVID-19 limitations. City officials say they plan to expand street safety programs and work with speed cameras and automated enforcement, where possible, in addition to working with NYPD on targeting enforcement in crash-prone areas of the city.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
Injured victims of car accidents and pedestrian accidents caused by speeding or reckless drivers 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 lost future income, medical and funeral costs, pain and suffering, etc.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a 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 remember that they may be able to 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 nearly 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 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 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
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Source: https://nypost.com/2021/05/01/dont-walk-this-way-58-more-nyc-pedestrians-killed-in-2021/