City officials will require traffic calming devices that are designed to slow down traffic in parts of the five boroughs where a large number of senior citizens reside. According to a report in The Gothamist, the council’s action comes at a time when pedestrian accidents and fatalities are trending upward in New York City. At least 67 people have died in traffic accidents in New York City so far this year, according to data from the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT). This is up from the same period last year when the city reported 63 traffic deaths.
Increase in Traffic Accident Fatalities
Since the pandemic, the number of people killed by motorists in the city has risen with every passing year. The number of deaths is still down from 10 years ago before Mayor Bill de Blasio took office and launched his Vision Zero program. The council passed two measures last week. One will require the DOT to submit its study on traffic violence incidents every four years instead of every five years.
It is also now required to disseminate that study and another report in serious crashes every three months to the council and community boards. Both bills passed unanimously and are now headed to Mayor Eric Adams’ office. Officials say the legislation will increase transparency, aid collaboration and help prevent traffic accidents. Council members also pointed out that traffic accidents involving elderly pedestrians have increased and are caused by speeding and reckless drivers on the road.
Under the bill, the DOT will be tasked with installing speed bumps and signs to slow traffic down as vehicles enter areas with a high concentration of elderly residents. Across the country, nearly 43,000 people died in traffic accidents in 2022. Also, 23 states are expected to see an increase in traffic fatalities as the country continues to see an uptick in driving after the pandemic.
A recent study conducted by the city titled Pedestrian Safety and Older New Yorkers revealed that senior pedestrians are not struck more frequently, but that their injuries are typically much more severe. Senior pedestrian fatalities are also more likely to occur closer to their homes and in the middle of the day, the study showed. Also, more seniors are injured and killed while riding their bicycle than by being struck by a bicyclist.
What Compensation Can Victims Seek?
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 lost future income, medical and funeral costs, pain and suffering, etc.
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.
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 51 years, our skilled attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims. 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, 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.
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/nyc-council-passes-bills-on-traffic-crashes-senior-pedestrian-zones