In New York City, most students either walk or bike to school. School zones are designed to be safe areas for people passing through them, including pedestrians and bicyclists. However, NYPD data shows that some school zones in the city are not safe. Safer America, a consumer safety information organization, recently compiled data and determined the most dangerous school zones in the city.
The study used collision data from the NYPD for the years 2012 through July of 2019. Only crashes that resulted in injury or death to a pedestrian or bicyclist were included in the study. The study only looked at accidents that occurred between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. in order to match the hours of New York City’s School Speed Camera program.
Dangerous School Zones
The most dangerous school zone in New York City is located at the American Sign Language and English Secondary School in Manhattan. The school is located at 223 East 23rd Street. There were 79 total crashes in the school zone, which resulted in 45 pedestrian injuries. There were also 37 cyclist injuries, which was the highest number of cyclist injuries in all the school zones.
In Brooklyn, two high schools at the same address took the top two spots for the deadliest school zones in Brooklyn. Brooklyn Pacific High School and Brooklyn Frontiers High School, located in Boerum Hill, had high crash rates. Brooklyn Pacific had 61 total crashes, and Brooklyn Frontiers had 55 crashes. Coming in third was Brooklyn Ascend Lower School, with a total of 48 crashes leading to 45 pedestrian injuries and six cyclist injuries.
Accidents in School Zones
The slower speed requirements of school zones have clearly had little effect on their safety. Pedestrian and bicycle accidents in school zones are different from other accidents. For obvious reasons, most of the victims of these accidents are children. This can mean more serious injuries. Accidents in school zones are almost always caused by speeding. Frequently drivers aren’t paying attention to the fact that they have driven into a school zone and are required to reduce their speed. In addition, drivers who are not paying attention to large groups of students crossing the street can cause serious accidents.
Contact an Accident Attorney
If you or your child has been injured in a school zone accident, you should consult with a New York City accident attorney. At Bonina & Bonina, P.C., we have over 50 years of experience helping injured New Yorkers. Contact us online or call us at 1-888-MEDLAW1 to schedule your free consultation. Home and hospital visits are available. Se habla español.