A six-month investigation by Streetsblog has found that streets near schools in New York City are “uniquely dangerous” with rates of crashes and injuries that exceed city averages. According to the report, this is particularly true near schools where most students are poor or children of color. The city’s efforts to reduce these dangers have proven inadequate and expose some of its most vulnerable residents to these hazards, the report states.
Dangers for Pedestrians
Streetsblog studied data on nearly 1 million car accidents in New York City from July 2015 through November 2021, and built a database of every crash that occurred within 250 feet of a city-run public school. Here is what their analysis revealed:
• In the 2019 school year, the rate of people injured by cars on school days was 43% higher outside school buildings where a majority were students of color.
• Drivers crash nearly 50 times and injure a dozen people near city public schools during the average day when schools are open. That amounts to a crash every 29 minutes and an injury every two hours.
• Drivers have killed at least 24 children heading to or from school on foot or bicycle in New York City in the past decade.
• School streets remain far more dangerous than the average city street on school days.
• In 2019, motor vehicle collisions were the leading cause of death for children the age of 14 and under in New York City.
The report also pointed out that at almost every school visited by Streetsblog, illegally parked cars blocked curbside space reserved for drivers to safely load and unload children.
Crossing Guards Face Dangers Too
The report found that children are not the only ones getting hurt outside city schools. Jo Ellen Gill, a crossing guard, was severely injured in May 2007 as she stood on a Staten Island sidewalk waiting to help three school children across the street. As she waited, two drivers crashed nearby, and one of those vehicles, an SUV, ran into her.
The impact threw Gill into the air where she was struck by the other car. She suffered a broken elbow and still experiences migraines and vision problems. She also broke nine ribs that have been permanently disjointed, Gill told Streetsblog. The danger posed to crossing guards is why fewer people are taking on the job, the report states. City data show that there were around 2,200 crossing guards in April, down from 3,000 in fiscal year 2019.
Seeking 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 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 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
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2022/05/24/danger-zones-chaotic-school-streets-threaten-city-children/