In a huge congested urban area like New York City and its surroundings, pedestrian deaths are a sad reality. While there are several measures in place to ensure pedestrian safety, every now and then we come across the news of a pedestrian injury or death. In fact, pedestrian deaths have seen an increase in both New York City and the rest of the country.
TO address this growing concern, the National Highway Transport Safety Administration, the Federal Highway Administration and the Governors Highway Safety Administration have announced that the month of October will be observed as National Pedestrian Safety Month.
The need for pedestrian safety
According to a report that was published by the GHSA earlier this year, an estimated 101 pedestrians were killed in New York between January and June 2020. Although this is lesser than 2019, the fact remains that New York was among those seven states in the country that accounted for 54% of all pedestrian deaths in the United States during that period.
If we look at the recent past, the five boroughs of New York City have had the deadliest six-month period for pedestrians in recent history. Per a report from Transport Alternatives, 64 people lost their lives on New York City streets between January and June 2021. In fact, per NYPD data, that number has continued to rise since then. In July, eight pedestrians were killed; in August, nine pedestrians were killed; September numbers are awaited.
Legal action after a pedestrian accident
Be it an urban or a rural setting, everyone is a pedestrian at some time or the other. In crowded situations, such as in large cities, the risks are often higher. As a matter of fact, no one knows when tragedy can strike and, therefore, it is important to remember few things.
There are personal injury laws in place that can help protect a victim’s rights in the event of an accident. However, pursuing a personal injury claim can be a challenge especially when victims and family members are already dealing with a traumatic experience. Therefore, seeking guidance from an experienced personal injury attorney may be helpful.
