Pedestrian accidents claim thousands of lives each year in the United States. New York City’s busy streets and intersections also tend to be treacherous for pedestrians. 2019 has been off to a bad start when it comes to traffic accidents. Fatalities on New York City’s streets are on pace to increase this year for the first time after Mayor Bill de Blasio introduced his Vision Zero program to reduce the number of traffic collisions, specifically pedestrian accidents, on city streets.
This year, areas such as Queens and southern Brooklyn are experiencing the most notable increases in bicycle and pedestrian accidents. There have been 65 traffic deaths in New York City through April 28 this year, a 30 percent increase from 50 traffic deaths recorded at that point last year.
There are several factors that make pedestrian accidents extremely dangerous. Here are three crucial factors that increase the severity of a pedestrian versus vehicle crash:
1. The Type of Vehicle and Impact
The type of vehicle involved in a pedestrian accident may have a major impact on the nature and severity of the injuries. The point of impact and whether the accident involved one vehicle or multiple vehicles may also make a big difference in whether or not the pedestrian victim survives the crash. When it comes to pedestrian versus vehicle accidents, frontal collisions were far more common than rear or side-impact collisions. Passenger vehicles, SUVs, pickup trucks and vans are typically most commonly involved in pedestrian crashes. However, in New York City, buses and large trucks (such as garbage trucks) have also caused devastating pedestrian accidents.
2. Age of the Pedestrian
Several research studies have shown that older pedestrians are more likely to suffer more severe injuries in vehicle versus pedestrian accidents. One study conducted by the California Highway Patrol showed that pedestrians over the age of 65 were roughly nine times more likely to suffer a fatal injury compared to younger age groups. In addition, the chances of an elderly person suffering a fatal or severe injury were nearly four times greater. These numbers are attributed to elderly people generally being more frail and having slower reaction times.
3. Speed of the Vehicle
The speed at which a vehicle is traveling right before the collision can also determine the type and severity of the injury sustained by the pedestrian. According to a study done by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the average risk of severe injury for a pedestrian struck by a vehicle reaches 10 percent at an impact speed of 16 mph, 25 percent at 23 mph, 50 percent at 31 mph, 75 percent at 39 mph and 90 percent at 46 mph. The average risk of death reaches 10 percent at an impact speed of 23 mph, 50 percent at 42 mph, 75 percent at 50 mph and 90 percent at 58 mph. Again, the risks vary by age. For example, the average risk of severe or fatal injury for a 70-year-old pedestrian struck by a car traveling at 25 mph is similar to the risk for a 30-year-old pedestrian struck at 35 mph.
Compensation for Pedestrian Accident Victims
Injured victims of pedestrian 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.
Please remember that you can file a personal injury lawsuit even if you were not walking in a crosswalk at the time of the collision. Our law firm has secured compensation for pedestrians who were not walking in a crosswalk when their injury crash occurred. We have recovered millions of dollars for pedestrians who were not in crosswalks.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident due to a careless or distracted driver or if you have lost a loved one in such an accident, 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.
Our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses for over 49 years. 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 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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