There were at least five people injured, including an infant, when a vehicle hopped a curb and slammed into a number of pedestrians in Manhattan. According to NY1, the collision happened at roughly 5:00 p.m. at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 46th Street. Accident reports indicate that the driver lost control of his vehicle, hopped over the curb and onto the sidewalk. The vehicle slammed into a wife, a husband and an 11-month-old child. All three of them were taken to Weill Cornell Medical Center.
There was another woman who was injured in the accident and was taken to Bellevue Hospital. There were two other people at the scene who were involved, but left before officers arrived. The driver was also transported to Bellevue Hospital.
Our Manhattan pedestrian accident lawyers understand that drivers can be unpredictable, and pedestrians need to be extremely cautious because of it. We can’t always rely on others to keep us safe out there. According to a recent study from the Ohio State University, the number of distracted pedestrian injuries has roughly doubled from 2005 to 2010. It’s important that we take our attention off of our smartphones and put it back on the dangerous traffic around us.
“The role of cell phones in distracted driving injuries and deaths gets a lot of attention and rightly so, but we need to also consider the danger cell phone use poses to pedestrians,” said Jack Nasar, co-author of the study.
Manhattan is working to make roadways safer for all pedestrians, young and old. According to Manhattan Together, safety advocates are concerned about the safety of the streets and intersections in their neighborhoods.
Officials with the group have been working with the state’s Department of Transportation are working to get streets safer for all walkers:
-A longer period of time to allow pedestrians to cross the street before lights change.
-Construction at the base of Williamsburg Bridge to help to protect pedestrians from speeding car and bicycle traffic.
-Post more signs to attract pedestrians’ attention to a new one-way street to help fix the flow of traffic.
But even with all of the safety devices and roadway designs to help pedestrians, a lot of the responsibility falls on pedestrians. It’s important that you’re always aware of your surroundings and that you’re following all pedestrian laws. You want to make sure that the traffic around you is aware of your presence and is looking out for you. Before crossing a street, make sure you make eye contact with drivers. You want to ensure that they see you at all times. You also want to make sure that you’re crossing the road at an intersection and following the lights and safety signals in that area.
Safe travel among motorists and pedestrians is a team effort and we all need to work together to help to ensure that everyone’s safe out there.
If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a traffic accident, contact the Law Offices of Nicholas Rose, PLLC for s free consultation. Call 1-877-313-7673.
More Blog Entries:
New York City Traffic Fatalities on the Rise, New York Injury Lawyer Blog, June 30, 2013
Speeding Driver Injures New York Schoolchildren Waiting for Bus, New York Injury Lawyer Blog, February 20, 2013
