Pedestrian accidents are a serious issue in big cities like New York City and continue to be considered a significant public health concern. Not only can victims sustain serious injuries, but because of their vulnerability, it can be life-threatening more often than not. Lawyer Monthly reveals that NYC has seen a notable increase in pedestrian deaths in the last year, with more than 3,000 citizens seriously injured and 121 pedestrian deaths. Not to mention an incident in December 2019, where The New York Times reported 6 pedestrian deaths just between Wednesday and Friday. Pedestrian safety concerns are rising alongside fatality rates, demanding action and justice. The need for legal representation is also more important than ever as establishing fault and dealing with claims remain to be complex and difficult without help.
A common cause that has been seen as both the pedestrians and the motorist’s fault in different cases involves alcohol consumption. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 47% of crashes that resulted in a pedestrian death involved alcohol for the driver and/or the pedestrian. In fact, 33% of fatal pedestrian crashes involved a pedestrian who was intoxicated, and 17% involved a driver who was intoxicated, while some fatal pedestrian crashes involved both.
According to ASU examinations, there are more contributing factors to unsafe pedestrian behavior than public intoxication. In fact, they’ve found 8 additional behavioral reasons, not including special conditions and physical environment. These behaviors include:
Aside from alcohol-related accidents, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrationreports that common crash types where the driver is at blame include:
The unfortunate part about both cases where either the pedestrian is at fault or the driver is at fault is that most accidents can be avoided by both participants paying more attention to their surroundings and being responsible. Nonetheless, it is important to know and understand these common causes so more people will take preventative measures to ensure themselves and others’ safety.
Accidents that lead to pedestrian injuries can be severe and life-altering. Even in cases where pedestrian accidents aren’t fatal, many victims often need emergency attention and long-term recovery. Here are a few of many potential injuries that can be inflicted upon the victim of a pedestrian-vehicle accident, with more focus on severe cases:
Due to its high fatality rate, it is more important than ever to get familiar with prevention matters related to pedestrian accidents. We are all pedestrians at some point when we walk around outside. The better prepared and more alert we are, the better the chances will be that we will see the year when pedestrian accidents start decreasing rather than hovering at a high rate or steadily increasing.
Consider the following ways to keep you and your family safe from pedestrian-related accidents, according to the NHTSA:
According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, many states are participating in measures to engineer, educate, and enforce pedestrian safety measures. In New York, specifically, a significant amount of effort has been put into reducing the number of pedestrian-related accidents, as numbers steadily increase each year.
GHSA researchers report the following organizations and strategies being put into action in New York:
Pedestrian accidents are more common in New York City than they should be, and considering their high fatality rate, they’re a matter that should never be taken lightly. As a pedestrian involved in an accident, it is common to sustain severe injuries to the brain, bones, spine, pelvis, and leg areas. Not to mention the potential risk for fatalities. For these reasons, you have every right to seek fair compensation, whether the motorist is fully at fault or only partially. It can be complex to deal with, so don’t hesitate to contact experts at Chaikin LaPenna, PLLC, to consult with legal representatives dedicated to getting you fairly compensated.
you may have a lot of questions, such as how to file a lawsuit, prove liability, and potentially ask for workers’ compensation. Our seasoned New York attorneys have years of experience working in personal injury law and can help you through your journey. 888-BIG-WIN-LAW Today.
