The last six months have seen the most traffic accident deaths in New York City with 61 pedestrians killed since January. The New York Post reports that data reviewed over the last ten years and compiled by the safety advocacy group
Transportation Alternatives showed 61 people were killed in pedestrian accident during the first half of 2024, which is a 27% increase over the same period last year. Twelve people were killed in bicycle accidents and about 51 drivers have been killed behind the wheel since the start of the year, which is a record high for New York City.
What the Data Reveals
The numbers also show that Midtown Manhattan has been the deadliest area for pedestrians, with 74 people killed since 2019. Based on the latest data, in the first two quarters of 2024, traffic accidents killed a New Yorker every 34 hours or five times a week. Brooklyn had its deadliest first six months since the Vision Zero initiative was adopted in 2014. During the first half of 2024, traffic accidents killed 127 people, a Vision Zero-era record, according to Transportation Alternatives.
The group said implementing congestion pricing, adding bike lanes and daylighting more intersections (removing parking sports towards the end of roadways to improve visibility in crosswalks) must all happen to curb traffic accident fatalities in the city. At this current rate of fatalities, 2024 is on track to be the deadliest year for traffic accident fatalities in the Vision Zero Era, city officials say.
Over the next year, the city is expected to improve visibility at 1,000 intersections citywide while also reducing speed limits on hundreds of streets thanks to Sammy’s Law. This law allows New York City to lower its speed limit to 20 mph with posted signage, except on roads with three or more motor vehicle travel lanes in the same direction outside of Manhattan.
Injuries and Compensation
Traffic accidents have the potential to result in catastrophic injuries and fatalities. 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.
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://nypost.com/2024/07/27/us-news/past-6-months-have-had-the-most-traffic-deaths-in-nearly-a-decade-with-61-pedestrians-killed-since-january-study/