It’s not just cars on New York City streets that pedestrians need to be watching. But, rather, the City’s seemingly exploding population of “rouge” bicyclists who defer using bike lanes to sidewalks and recklessly ride against traffic, the New York Times reports. And this isn’t a new debate. The battle for street-space between walkers and bicyclists has been documented as far back as the early 1900s.
As our New York City pedestrian accident attorneys reported in an earlier post to our New York Injury Lawyer blog, more than 50 percent of the city’s traffic fatalities during the last five years involved pedestrians. Last year alone, 155 pedestrians were killed walking or crossing New York City streets.
While cyclists may be responsible for some pedestrian accidents, the biggest danger to both comes from other motorists on the road in the form of passenger cars, trucks, taxis and buses.
The bottom line is: walking around New York City can be hazardous to your health. Despite a 35 percent drop in fatal New York City pedestrian traffic accidents from 2001 to 2009. Despite the fact that New York City is safer for pedestrian traffic than such major U.S. cities as Boston, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta. Despite the extensive and expensive recent installation of miles and miles and miles of bike lanes around the City. Despite the near decade-old hike in cyclist citation fees from $40 to $100.
New York City pedestrian traffic fatalities remain a huge concern for residents, law enforcement and government officials, the NYC Dept. of Transportation reports. And here’s why. Pedestrians are 10 times more likely to die than their motor-vehicle occupant counterparts when involved in a serious New York City traffic accident. Whether the pedestrian is struck by a car or a cyclist matters little when it comes to the likelihood of serious injury or death. Pedestrians in New York City are the most vulnerable population on our streets. Period.
The New York City accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Nicholas Rose, PLLC, understand that being involved in a traffic accident is stressful and can come with a legacy of pain and suffering. We would like you to know we are available for a free and confidential consultation if you have been injured in pedestrian traffic accident. To schedule an appointment, call us at 1-877-313-ROSE (7673)
