Let’s face it, driving in New York can be a real hassle and taking the subway or a bus is not always convenient. Many people in New York find it is easier to simply walk where they want to go. Being a pedestrian in the city does expose you to fast-moving traffic and distracted drivers who do not meet their duty of care to drive safely, putting you at risk for being struck by a car.
The statistics on pedestrian accidents
Pedestrian accidents lead to many fatalities every year across the U.S. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2019, 6,205 people lost their lives after being struck by a car. To put it another way, in 2019 85 people lost their lives every 85 minutes in a pedestrian accident. These are grim statistics, but there are actions motorists can take to avoid striking pedestrians.
How can motorists prevent causing pedestrian accidents?
First, motorists should be aware of all pedestrians in their vicinity at all times especially if they are driving at night or in fog, rain or snow.
All motorists should make sure they approach intersections slowly and be prepared to come to a full stop before continuing through the intersection or turning onto the cross street. If there are pedestrians in crosswalks, motorists must yield to the pedestrian. Motorists should stop well behind the crosswalk so the pedestrian can cross safely, and they should not pass other vehicles at a crosswalk as there could be pedestrians crossing the street that they cannot see.
Drunk driving should always be avoided. Motorists should also avoid speeding especially in school zones or areas where children are present. Finally, motorists should be especially careful when reversing and should look behind them to make sure there are no pedestrians behind them.
Learn more about pedestrian accidents in New York
All motorists are tasked with a duty of care to drive reasonably under the circumstances. If they breach this duty and strike a pedestrian, the pedestrian may want to determine if they can pursue compensation from the driver. This post is for educational purposes and does not contain legal advice. Our firm’s webpage on pedestrian accidents may be of use to those who want to learn more about this topic.