Traffic in New York can be quite dangerous. Because of scarce parking and aggressive driving, many people prefer to walk, bike or take public transportation (or taxis). While these methods of transportation may reduce your risk of a traffic accident, they don’t eliminate it. Many times, an accident involves a motor vehicle and a pedestrian.
If you or someone you love has recently experienced an accident with a vehicle as a pedestrian, you should speak with an experienced personal injury law firm. They can review the details of your situation and provide you with invaluable advice.
Although New York City aims to be one of the most walkable cities in the region, that doesn’t mean that pedestrians are inherently safe. In fact, the city carefully tracks pedestrian accidents to ensure they don’t become a bigger issue than they already are.
Pedestrians get hurt even when they follow the law
On city streets, many people who suffer injuries caused by vehicles were obeying traffic signals or crossing an appropriate location. Unfortunately, not all drivers are as attentive as they should be. It only takes a glance at the radio, their cellphone or a distracting billboard for drivers to cause severe property damage or injury to pedestrians. Traffic laws, crosswalks and similar methods of risk reduction can help reduce the number of vehicle/pedestrian accidents, but they can’t eliminate them altogether. As long as humans continue to make mistakes while driving, pedestrians are still at risk.
New York has taken steps to reduce pedestrian accidents
Along with its more typical safety measures, such as crosswalks and lights advising when it is safe to cross, New York has created some unique and interesting steps to reduce pedestrian accidents. One of them is the increase in Slow Zones. Also called Neighborhood Slow Zones, these are areas where the overall speed of traffic has been reduced from 30 miles per hour to 20 miles per hour. Slower drivers have more of a chance to respond to pedestrians. They may also cause less serious injuries, although any situation where a moving vehicle hits a human risks serious injury to the person involved.
An attorney can offer critical advice after a pedestrian injury
If you or someone you love sustains serious injuries as the result of a pedestrian and vehicle accident, you should speak with an experienced personal injury attorney right away. He or she can help in a number of ways. An attorney can review settlement offers to ensure they are appropriate given the injuries sustained. He or she can file a civil lawsuit if necessary. Attorneys can also help you negotiate with insurers. During recovery from a pedestrian accident, an attorney can help your family recover and focus on what matters instead of paperwork and bills.