The number of pedestrian accident fatalities continues to surge both in New York City and around the nation. According to a report in the Staten Island Advance, transportation safety organizations are urging states to implement concrete solutions and remind motorists to exercise caution around pedestrians, who are some of the most vulnerable road users.
Surge in Pedestrian Accident Deaths
Several safety agencies including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) have announced that October should be observed as National Pedestrian Safety Month. Earlier this year, the GHSA released a report analyzing the disturbing trend of rising pedestrian fatalities.
The report said that in 2020, there were a projected 6,721 pedestrian deaths across the United States, which represents a 4.8% increase from the 6,412 killed in 2019. The increase is cause for concern especially when we consider the fact that vehicle miles traveled decreased by 13.2% in 2020 because of coronavirus-related lockdowns. As a result, the pedestrian death rate jumped 21% last year, the largest annual increase in pedestrian death rate ever recorded.
This worrying trend was reflected in New York City as well. All five boroughs have recently experienced the deadliest six-month span for pedestrians in recent history. Just through Jan. 1 and June 30 of 2021, 64 pedestrians have been killed in the city, according to a recent report from Transportation Alternatives, a street safety advocacy group. And since July, the number of pedestrian deaths has only continued to rise, according to NYPD data. In July, eight pedestrians lost their lives and in August there were nine more fatalities.
Liability Issues
Pedestrian accidents have the potential to cause major injuries or even fatalities. Some of the most common causes of pedestrian accidents include driving at excessive speeds, inattention, driving while distracted and failing to yield to a pedestrian. Drivers are required under the law to exercise care and caution and look out for pedestrians walking at intersections.
When the pedestrian accident involves a commercial or delivery truck, victims or families may be able to seek compensation not just from the truck driver, but also his or her employer or the truck’s owner. An experienced New York pedestrian accident lawyer will be able to provide victims and their families with more information about pursuing their rights and seeking maximum compensation in such cases.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
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.
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 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.
For 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.
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Source: https://www.silive.com/news/2021/10/as-pedestrian-deaths-climb-across-us-and-in-nyc-a-safety-campaign-is-launched-in-hopes-of-curbing-the-trend.html