Pedestrians are all over New York City. People walk for exercise or to get where they need to go. While walking is good for your health, it can also result in tragic pedestrian accidents. When a pedestrian is involved in an accident, they can sustain catastrophic injuries or even death. They have absolutely no protection between themselves and the vehicle that hit them.
Who is at Risk?
While anyone walking around can be the victim of a pedestrian accident, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have identified who is most at risk.
- Male pedestrians are more likely to be injured in an accident than women.
- Teenagers and young adults between the ages of 15 and 29 are more likely to be treated in an emergency room for injuries sustained in a pedestrian accident.
- Older people are more likely to die from injuries sustained in a pedestrian accident.
- More than 30% of pedestrians who died in a pedestrian accident had a blood alcohol content of .08 or above.
- One in five traffic fatalities of children 14 and under were the result of a pedestrian accident.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
Drivers have a responsibility to obey all traffic laws and signals to keep everyone safe. They should also be watching out for pedestrians who are less visible. Common ways driver negligence can result in pedestrian accidents include:
- Distracted Driving—while drivers are on their phones, programming navigation systems, eating, drinking, or even just talking to passengers, they have taken their attention off the task of driving. This means they are not looking for pedestrians and cannot react to one in the street.
- Speeding—when driving at a high rate of speed, you have less time to react to pedestrians. Pedestrians hit at high speeds can sustain very serious injuries.
- Impaired Driving—drivers impaired by drugs and alcohol have decreased reaction time and may not see pedestrians.
- Failure to Stop or Yield—drivers who roll through a stop sign or fail to give pedestrians the right of way can cause serious accidents.
- Left-Hand Turns—even when using crosswalks, pedestrians have a chance of being hit by a left-turning car if the driver is paying attention to navigating an intersection and not to surrounding pedestrians.
- Backing Up—this can happen in driveways and in parking lots when a driver backs their vehicle up without making sure the area behind them is clear of pedestrians.
Contact an Experienced Accident Attorney
If you’ve been injured in a pedestrian accident, you should consult with an experienced accident attorney. At Bonina & Bonina, P.C., we have been helping the injured for over 50 years. Contact us online or call us at 1-888-MEDLAW1 to schedule your free consultation. Home and hospital visits are available. Se habla español.