New York Injury Lawyer Blog

Recently, the preliminary statistics of 2011 car accidents in New York City were released. These statistics illustrate the fewest number of traffic accident-related fatalities since 1910. As of the Dec. 27, there were about 240 fatalities resulting from traffic accidents in the city. While this is 40 percent fewer than the number of fatalities in 2001, it is still far too high.

Included in this number are the 134 pedestrians who were killed in accidents involving a motor vehicle. This represents a more than 30 percent decrease from statistics recorded in 2001. The number of bicyclist fatalities remained about the same over the last decade.

Our New York City car accident attorneys understand that the Department of Transportation is congratulating itself for the record low and credit the safety engineering initiatives and public education efforts along with the NYPD and its pursuit of aggressive enforcement efforts. Yes, the NYPD has made increased enforcement efforts to bust drivers who speed and drive drunk. But the congested traffic on our city's roads still took the lives of nearly 240 people in 2011. With that many traffic-related deaths in a year, it's no time to be celebrating.

The announcement of these new statistics was made by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg in Brooklyn at the Grand Army Plaza. This location is where the roadway was recently redesigned to enhance safety. Some of the most recent improvements are expected to decrease the number of accidents in the plaza, adding to the approximate 40 percent reduction that has already been seen in the last three years.

"This will be the city's safest traffic year in the more than 100 years since records were kept," vowed Mayor Bloomberg.

Bloomberg says he and Transportation officials are making strides to make further reductions in traffic fatality figures. He says the city is looking to redesign numerous areas and to push aggressive traffic enforcement to get there. He says the city wants its roadways to be safe for everyone, regardless on the desired mode of transportation.

The Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation, Janette Sadik-Khan, says that the redesigns have helped to save an estimated 300 people. She says that the recent accomplishment is something to be proud of. Still, she says the DOT isn't done just yet. She says DOT officials are working in the five boroughs in an effort to make our streets even safer.

The fatality rate in the City fell from about 5 fatalities per 100,000 residents back in 2001to about 3 in 2011.

Still, consider the fact that 240 people died on the City's roadways in 2011. Yes, that's a reduction from previous years, but the number is still far too high. Officials shouldn't throw in the towel until that number is zero. More needs to be done to make our roadways safer for everyone.

Continue reading "Fatal New York Car Accidents Down; Still Too Many Deaths" »

Mathieu Lefevre, 30, died in a bicycling accident in Brooklyn back in October of 2011, according to New York News & Features. The accident happened at the intersection of Meserole Street and Morgan Avenue, when a crane truck was making a left-hand turn and turned right into the cyclist. Officers reported at the time that the driver of the crane truck probably didn't know he hit the bicyclist and that it was probably Lefevre's fault for running at red light.

The bicyclist's mother was infuriated at officers for releasing that information to the media. She was floored that her son was blamed in the accident and that officers never gave her the official documents from the accident. She filed a lawsuit against the New York Police Department (NYPD) and finally, after a long wait, received records from the accident. She says that the evidence doesn't support the "official" account of the crash.

Our Brooklyn bicycle accident attorneys understand that the official paper work and the videos of the accident showed that the bicyclist didn't run a red light and that the driver of the crane truck made that left-hand turn without signaling. After being hit by the truck, the bicyclist was dragged for about 40 feet and the bike was dragged another 130 feet.

"An investigator told me he saw the blood on the bumper that night, starting to run off in the rain," said Lefevre's attorney. "But they didn't take a picture" because the camera was "not working properly (black photos)."

After persistence from the victim's mother and from her legal representation, police reviewed video footage of the accident that was obtained from a CCTV video. This information was finally released under a Freedom of Information Act request. Before making this request, officers did not release the information because the investigation was still ongoing. After reviewing the new information, the victim's mother released a statement saying that the video showed that her son did not run the red light on his bicycle and that he was not at fault in the accident.

Unfortunately, police officers and government investigators don't always investigate accident scenes correctly. They can sometimes overlook or completely jumble evidence. If you've been involved in an accident, it is critical for you to contact and experienced attorney to help you to fight for your rights and to make sure that you have a voice. An experienced attorney can help you to conduct an independent investigation to help ensure that all of the proper and accurate evidence is in place when fighting the system.

The mother says that the NYPD has participated in a number of unprofessional aspects of the investigation. She added that officers with the department should take more responsibility in investigating accidents, especially when someone is killed. The driver of that crane truck has not been cited for running a light.

"NYPD should take its responsibility to investigate crashes more seriously," said Lefevre.

Continue reading "Brooklyn Bicycling Accident Evidence Allegedly Overlooked by Investigators" »

The New York Daily News reports that a tenth victim has died from a bicycle accident in New York. The 24 year-old male bicyclist was riding east on Borinquen Place and was hit by an SUV as he was making a turn onto Rodney Street.

This makes the second fatal bicycle accident in less than a week. Earlier this week, a female professional dancer was killed on her bicycle while trying to avoid debris left in the bike lane at a work zone. The 29-year-old cyclist was riding southbound on Bushwick Avenue a few blocks from home when she lost her balance near a pile of wood and fell into the street. Police officials and witnesses report she was run over by a Mercedes-Benz and was found lying in a pool of blood after the collision. She was taken to Woodhull Hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

Manhattan bicycle accident attorneys know how dangerous it is to ride a bicycle in New York City and have compassion for the families who deal with a fatal tragedy involving a bicycle collision. Considering we live in a cold weather climate it is almost unfathomable that our state is averaging more than 1 bicycle fatality per month by early September this year.

New York State Department of Motor Vehicles reported 29 bicyclists fatalities in 2009 and over 5,400 injuries in bicycle accidents throughout the state. A total of 6 fatalities were children ages 10 to 17 but the age group reporting the most bicycle fatalities in New York was 35-39 year-olds.

Children between the ages of 14 and 17 sustained the most injuries from bicycle accidents in 2009 at 698 and young adults ages 25-29 reported the next highest total of bicycle-related injuries at 574.

Transportation Alternatives, an advocate for safe bicycling, walking and public transit in New York City, reported 26 bicyclists deaths in New York City in 2008, 12 in 2009 and 18 in 2010. Since its inception in 1973, Transportation Alternatives (TA) has been working hard to replace automobiles on New York City streets with walkers and bikers. By getting more vehicles off the streets, pedestrians and bicyclists can feel safer and not be afraid to commute by means of a much healthier alternative.

TA has introduced an interesting bike valet program which is similar to a coat check. Patrons are encouraged to ride their bicycle to an event, have it secured and watched over by TA staff, receive a claim stub for their bike and then take valet service to attend a premier summer outdoor event in the City.

To view a full list of TA Bike Valet events, visit online. Bicyclists can reduce the risk of injury when attending an event by parking in a safe location and not having to worry about traffic congestion or riding safety at an overcrowded event.

Bicyclists are urged to always use a bike only lane when one is available and be extra alert around speeding cars and pedestrians using city streets in order to avoid a bicycle accident in New York.

Continue reading "Death Count Rises to Ten in 2011 Following Two Recent Fatal Bicycle Accidents in New York City" »

The National Complete Streets Coalition is spreading word throughout the country to make streets safer and more welcoming for everyone who uses them.

Designing streets with safety in mind can reduce the number of bicycle accidents in Queens or pedestrian accidents in Manhattan or elsewhere in New York.

New York injury lawyer Nicholas Rose, PLLC knows that street design and proper engineering is the key to making New York City streets safer. Bicyclists and pedestrians risk their lives every day when they venture out on our overly populated streets which are mostly utilized by speeding vehicles.

Transportation Nation recently reported that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his intention to sign the Complete Streets Law into legislation. Advised by the New York Department of Transportation, the new law would constitute that transportation agencies at the state and local level consider all street occupants in future designs of New York City streets and roadways.

"New York's roadways should safely accommodate all pedestrians, motorists and cyclists, and this legislation will help communities across the state achieve this objective," Cuomo said.

Twenty-four states have already passed legislation for some type of complete streets law according to the Coalition. Each state has made a commitment to take pedestrian, bicyclist, and other street users' safety into account when planning for road improvements or future road designs. From a health standpoint, getting people out on the streets to exercise or increase fitness levels is what this country needs but not at the risk of losing their lives due to a poorly engineered road design.

According to officials representing Cuomo's office, the new law enable pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists to be safer on roadways, but it will promote the 'going green' industry creating less traffic congestion which, in effect, will create less air pollution.

Creating a greener transportation system will be much healthier for everyone walking or biking on New York City streets. Public users can expect to see more raised sidewalks, bicycle lanes, control signals for pedestrians, bus pull outs, ramps and measures taken to calm traffic.

Simple things like putting in raised medians and sidewalks, redesigning intersections, or putting in a pedestrian signal at a crosswalk can reduce the risk that a pedestrian will get hit by 28 percent. Creating a bicycle-only path will get bikes off the sidewalk and away from pedestrians and off the roadway near other motorists where bicyclists are most at risk of a dangerous situation. Bicycle lanes can reduce the risk of injury by as much as 50 percent.

Health experts report that 55 percent of adults don't get the recommended amount of daily exercise each day and 25 percent of adults are completely immobile by choice. It is likely that if streets were designed with safety in mind, adults, kids, senior citizens, and even individuals with disabilities would not fear walking or riding and might choose or be more apt to get out and exercise more.

Studies have shown that communities with sidewalks are more likely to be used by 65 percent of residents who live there than when no sidewalks are available. Passing the Complete Streets bill in New York can not only reduce the risk of pedestrian and bicycle accidents throughout the City for all ages but will likely preserve health in areas that need more attention like fitness and pollution.

Continue reading "Pedestrians, Bicyclists, Motorists Can Benefit from Complete Streets Law in Reducing New York City Car Accidents" »

A new 2011 edition of pedestrian accidents in New York and elsewhere throughout the country has now been released by Transportation For America. This report illustrates the whereabouts and other details of the 47,000 pedestrian fatalities, and 688,000 pedestrian injuries, that occurred on our roadways nationwide.

During the next phase of safety measures, Dangerous by Design 2011 will examine the information in an attempt to reverse the problem by coming up with solutions for this epidemic of preventable fatalities. Pedestrian accident have become too much of an accepted occurrence on our nation's roadways between 2000 and 2009.

Our New York pedestrian accident attorneys recognize that pedestrian accidents happen all too often on our city roadways. There are a number of contributing factors to this epidemic, including driver awareness, pedestrian visibility and roadway design. Perhaps the most effective way for us to reduce the risk of these accidents is to focus inward and correct our lackadaisical driving habits.

The newly released report offers fact sheets that highlight specific statistics for each of our 50 states. The release also comes with a map that allows residents to view their communities to see just how often these pedestrian accidents occur in their own areas.

In the examined years of the released data, more than 3,200 pedestrian were killed while walking the streets of New York. These accidents cost the state nearly $14 billion. Our state ranked 39th for the Pedestrian Danger Index (PDI).

The most dangerous counties, determined from the study's records, in New York are as follows:

-Kings, 515 pedestrian fatalities.

-New York, 399 pedestrian fatalities.

-Queens, 376 pedestrian fatalities.

A majority of these accident happened along "arterial" roads, which are dangerous for pedestrians to begin with as they are designed to accommodate speedy traffic flow and ignore the needs of on-foot pedestrian and bicyclists.

Ironically, a portion of our federal tax dollars are supposed to go to the production and design of these roads that lack pedestrian safety measures. Less than 1.5 percent of the current federal transportation outlay is meant to better equip these areas for foot traffic. Congress is currently contemplating the elimination of this fund entirely.

Roughly 70 percent of these pedestrian accidents over the last 10 years have happened on roads that are eligible to receive this federal aid or are designed under federal guidelines. Yet, the federal transportation department continues to argue that the design of these roads falls on local and state government.

Federal programs continue to urge state departments of transportation to take the responsibility of these roadways and to focus their efforts on the flow of speedy traffic instead of pedestrian safety.

Residents are urged to contact Congress and voice your opinion in an attempt to get them to rethink their decisions to cut off of the pedestrian safety fund.

Merely hours after the report's release, Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa and eleven co-sponsors formally introduced the Complete Streets Act of 2011. This is an Act that is meant to create streets that are safer for those who travel by foot, by bicycle, by wheelchair or by public transit. Dangerous by Designed was referenced in his report earlier this week.

Continue reading "Newly Released Data Ranks New York for Fatal Pedestrian Accidents" »

Spring is officially in full bloom so many New Yorkers will start taking advantage by getting outdoors to enjoy the warmer weather. If you are a bicycle enthusiast who likes to ride on city streets, bike paths, or nature trails, New York personal injury lawyer Nicholas Rose wants to remind you to be safe out there.

In addition to the many that use bicycles as a mode of transportation, will be the added cyclists who enjoy riding as a hobby, who compete in races, or who enjoy an evening ride with their family. New Yorkers may even see more bicyclists on the roadways this spring and summer due the high cost of gas, which doesn't appear to be turning back the other way any time soon.

Bicycling can be dangerous as we have posted many times on our New York Injury Lawyer Blog. In 2009, New York State Department of Motor Vehicles reported over 5,600 bicycle accidents in the state. Almost half of the fatalities occurring from bicycle accidents were in New York City alone, another almost 2,800 were injured in cycling accidents in the city.

A recent crash in upstate New York has left three cyclist severely injured according to The Saratogian. Twelve cyclists competing in the Tour of the Battenkill race were injured; three of them sustained injuries severe enough that they had to be transported by helicopter to the hospital. Details of the accident are still being investigated.

Whether you are taking a casual ride through Central Park with the family or competing in a cycling race, New York bicyclists are reminded of the following safety tips:

-If you are traveling alone, let a friend or family member know where you will be riding and how long you think you will be gone.

-Remember to carry a fully charged cell phone with you while you are riding.

-Wear brightly colored clothing, especially during dawn or dusk hours or high traffic times.

-Always wear a helmet that fits securely. The helmet should cover the forehead and the chin strap should fit securely not allowing any movement of the helmet. The helmet must be approved by ASTM, CSA or Snell.

-Maintain your bicycle with routine safety checks. Make sure your tires have the correct air pressure, the brakes work sufficiently and the reflectors are visible and properly secured.

-Never assume what other cyclists, motorists or pedestrians are going to do. Use extra caution when crossing streets or at highly congested areas.

Continue reading "Safe Riding can Help Prevent New York City Bicycle Accidents this Spring" »

The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that 2010 traffic fatalities increased from 2009 and the trend could continue due to the economic recovery.

New York Personal Injury Attorney Nicholas Rose knows that last year 269 people died in the five boroughs from traffic crashes. This is a statistic that is bound to get worse with more motorists commuting to and from work each day.

Though motorcycles make up only two percent of all vehicle registrations in New York City, they account for 14% of traffic fatalities. And in 2009 the number of fatal crashes went up by 10 from the previous year. A DOT study found that speed was the contributing factor in 46% of all fatal motorcycle accidents.

There were 151 fatal New York City pedestrian accidents 18 fatal bicycle crashes.

NYDOT had launched Safe Streets for Seniors in 2008. So far the program has made safety improvements to 10 senior areas. There were 44 senior fatalities in 2009.

To combat excessive speeding DOT launched the That's Why It's 30 campaign. They found out that most New Yorkers were unaware of the city's 30 mph speed limit. The ad campaign focused on the life saving benefit of traveling at 30 mph rather than 40 mph. There is a 70% chance a pedestrian will die if they are hit by a vehicle going 40 mph. But if the vehicle is going 30 mph there is an 80% chance a pedestrian will survive.

Another campaign by DOT, targeting young men, was You the Man, which aimed to reduce drunk driving. In 2008, men between the ages of 21 and 39 accounted for 63% of alcohol-related crashes in the city. An iPhone app is available to New Yorkers to let them locate an approved car service if they need a ride home after a night out.

DOT has the following upcoming initiatives planned:

-Across all five boroughs installing 1500 countdown pedestrian signals.

-Neighborhood 20 mph zones to slow down traffic in an area instead of individual streets.

-Rank corridors and address safety issues along 60 miles of roads per year.

-In Manhattan re-engineering 20 high-crash, high-volume intersections and improve visibility of pedestrians at left turns by removing curbside parking spaces near intersections.

Continue reading "Fatal New York City accidents on the rise, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents and pedestrian accidents of particular concern" »

The New York Times is reporting that some New Yorkers are suing the city to remove a controversial bicycle lane in Brooklyn.

New York City Bicycle Accident Lawyer Nicholas Rose reported in an earlier post to his New York Injury Lawyer Blog that bicycling accident are a growing risk with the ever-increasing popularity of cycling for transportation, fitness and recreation.

After a year of pamphlets, rallies and dueling petitions a lawsuit was filed regarding the recently installed bike path along Prospect Park West. The lawsuit seeks the removal of this bike path. Bike lanes in New York City had been challenged before, particularly during the Koch administration in 1980.

The lawsuit accuses the Transportation Department of giving the wrong impression to residents about the benefits of the lane, selectively choosing statistics on safety improvements and joined bicycle activists to suppress community resistance.

Residents have complained that the two-way bicycle lane has reduced the room for cars and interferes with the view of pedestrians crossing the street. Government actions deemed to be random or unfair can be called into question, and is the basis of the legal complaint.

Department of Transportation officials had not fully reviewed the lawsuit. A department spokesman said the bike lane has been a success. There has been declines in speeding, crashes and injuries and usage of the path has tripled on weekdays and doubled on weekends.

Opponents argue that safety has not improved, and their suit contends that the department presented misleading statistics. Transportation officials are also being accused of ignoring required environmental reviews and dodging a public review process. Only after the choice was made to make it permanent did they present a full report on the bike lane.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently released its 2009 data on bicyclists statistics. Two percent of all traffic deaths (630) and two percent (51,000) of all traffic injuries were bicyclists. Traffic deaths were down 12% from 2008. New York reported 29 bicycle deaths in 2009.

Motorists and cyclists who share NYC streets and corridors are reminded that driving distracted increases your chances of a traffic accident. Refrain from talking or texting on cell phones when commuting on the congested streets of New York City.

Continue reading "Brooklyn bicycle accidents not reduced by bike lane, detractors argue" »

New York City personal injury lawyers continue to monitor the high numbers of serious and fatal bicycle accidents that occur -- particularly those involving middle-aged men riding for pleasure or fitness.

According to new information released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 630 fatal bicycle accidents were reported in 2009 -- down from more than 700 in 2008.

The New York State Department of Transportation reported 29 riders were killed in 5,620 reported bicycle accidents in 2009. New York City bicycle accidents accounts for almost half -- 12 deaths and 2,787 injuries.

Being that many people and businesses use bicycles as a mode of transportation or delivery, this poses a very serious problem. It's a problem bound to get worse as NYCDOT added over 200 miles of bike paths in New York City in 2009, amid ongoing efforts to help make the streets safer for all users.

Safety tips for riders include:

-Wear a helmet: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration encourages helmet use, even where not required by law.

-If riding during the dawn, dusk or in inclement weather - wear brightly colored clothing and reflectors.

-According to the NHTSA, bicyclists are considered vehicle operators and are required to obey all rules of the road - including lights and reflectors when riding at night.

-If you are a motor vehicle operator, please check twice for cyclists when merging, making a turn, or opening a car door when parked on the side of the road.

Here you can fine helpful biking rules in New York City.

Continue reading "Feds point to bicycle accidents as ongoing safety threat; New York City motorists should use caution" »

As part of a massive expansion of its cycling infrastructure, the New York City Department of Transportation is seeking to establish a year-round bicycle sharing program of 10,000 bicycles at more than 600 stations throughout the city.

New York Bicycle Accident Attorney Nicholas Rose reminds you that cycling is a year-round activity in New York City. As the city becomes more bike friendly each year, more and more bikes are on the road, even during the winter months. Please do your part and avoid the tragedy of a serious or fatal bicycle accident this holiday season.

The city is seeking bids on the project by February with launch expected in the spring of 2012. Cyclists would be able to by passes for daily, weekly or yearly use. The number of daily uses under 30 minutes would be unlimited. The program is meant to encourage people to use bicycles instead of taxis and would include solar-powered stations every few blocks for pickups or dropoffs.

The bikes would be equipped with GPS tracking devices, lights and bells.

Last year, 5,620 New York bicycle accidents were reported, according to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Thirty riders were killed and more than 5,500 were injured. New York City bicycle accidents accounted for more than half the total, with the NYPD handling 2,804 crashes. Twelve riders were killed and more than 2,700 were injured as a result of bicycle accidents in the city.

The New York City Bicycle Master Plan identified a 900-mile bicycle network. In recent years, the city has improved or created hundreds of miles of bicycle lanes, installed hundreds of bicycle racks throughout the city and passed a law requiring employers to provide a safe place for bicycle parking.

Continue reading "Expanding bike program increases risk of New York City bicycle accidents" »

New York City Bicycle Accident Attorney Nicholas Rose is continuing to monitor on his New York Injury Lawyer Blog the ongoing battle between New York City cyclists and motor vehicle drivers vying for road space on New York City streets.

The latest move by the Bloomberg administration is a push to scale back what was initially to be a divided - therefore separate and protected - bike lanes extending from 34th Street to 125th Street on First and Second Avenues the New York Times reports.

Transportation Department officials are insistent that the lane constructions are just to be delayed until 2011, that the change in plans is little more than a temporary situation. But, New York City cycling enthusiasts who hosted a rally on City Hall steps last week believe the "delay" is really a signal by the Bloomberg administration that the bike lanes will go terminally unfinished.

Along with the gathering of about 40 cyclists came 2,500 handwritten letters for the Mayor from lane supporters. Concern for the project is not just a move to advance the cause of cyclists. According to Gothamist, a ten-year review of Department of Transportation data suggests that between 1998 and 2008, close to 4,900 pedestrians or cyclists were killed or injured between Houston and 125th Streets along First and Second Avenues with more than 70 percent of accidents happening on the incomplete stretch between 34th and 125th Streets.

And it's not just tension between the Mayor's office and cyclists that is ratcheting up. Local law enforcement and cyclists are also butting heads with more frequency as New York City cops have taken a more aggressive posture with cyclists who violate traffic and lane laws.

One recent Gothamist report ran with an image of a NYC police car parked atop the green bike lane. The copy indicated that more than one cyclist was ticketed on the corner of 14th and 1st after attempting to ride around the parked cop car, thus crossing from the bike lane onto the street. One cyclist said he received a $130 ticket for "reckless operation of a bicycle" for the maneuver.

Continue reading "New York City bicycle accidents frequently the fault of motorists" »

Cycling around New York City - for sightseeing, for exercise, as a mode of transportation or to earn a living - has been a part of the City's culture and history for more than 100 years. Over the last decade alone, bicycle traffic has become more and more mainstream in New York City. Since 2005, a bike-friendly push has led to the addition of more than 250 miles of bike lanes and the installation of thousands of bike racks around the City, the New York Times reports.

As New York bicycle accident attorney Nicholas Rose has noted in an earlier post to his New York Injury Lawyer blog, that the interaction among foot traffic, bicyclists and motor vehicles has taken some adjustment. With that said, the NYC Dept. of Transportation, law enforcement, even government officials, have continued to push aggressive public awareness campaigns promoting the benefits of shared road space.

With public awareness comes a move by city police to make roads and sidewalks safer for all New York City traffic through enforcement. So far in 2010, road.cc reports, cops have issues more than 26,000 moving violations against cyclists and another 800,000 violations against motor vehicle drivers.

Critics of the expansion of bicycling rights and turf say that more cycling rights has led to more hazards for pedestrians and motor vehicle traffic as bicyclists have become more aggressive in claiming road space. Cycling enthusiasts argue in the alternative - that people and cars still pay them little heed and less respect. That cycling around the Big Apple is as much, if not more, of a hazard for them as it is for those with whom they share the road.

The Five Borough Bicycle Club is just one of numerous New York City cycling organizations that support the community of NYC bicyclists. Aside from hosting group rides and races and publishing riding routes around the City, 5BBC, like other clubs, also offers a list of simple safety tips to help cyclists safely share the road.

FOR CITY CYCLISTS:

~ First, ALWAYS wear a helmet. Between 1996 and 2005, 225 cyclists were killed in fatal bicycle crashes in NYC. Of those, 97 percent were not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

~ Make sure your ride is in good working condition - air in the tires, brakes and lights work, pedals and seat secure.

~ Obey traffic laws for bikes and other traffic. If there is a bike lane, use it. Give motor vehicle traffic a wide berth - at least four feet - to avoid getting tagged by a driver or passenger unexpectedly opening a door in your travel path.

~ Be predictable. Use hand signals (directional, not editorial). Make eye contact. Don't dart across or weave through traffic. Avoid using sidewalk when there is appropriate designated or undesignated road space.

Continue reading "More rights, more road space, but streets still a hotbed for New York City cycling accidents" »

It's not just cars on New York City streets that pedestrians need to be watching. But, rather, the City's seemingly exploding population of "rouge" bicyclists who defer using bike lanes to sidewalks and recklessly ride against traffic, the New York Times reports. And this isn't a new debate. The battle for street-space between walkers and bicyclists has been documented as far back as the early 1900s.

As our New York City pedestrian accident attorneys reported in an earlier post to our New York Injury Lawyer blog, more than 50 percent of the city's traffic fatalities during the last five years involved pedestrians. Last year alone, 155 pedestrians were killed walking or crossing New York City streets.

While cyclists may be responsible for some pedestrian accidents, the biggest danger to both comes from other motorists on the road in the form of passenger cars, trucks, taxis and buses.

The bottom line is: walking around New York City can be hazardous to your health. Despite a 35 percent drop in fatal New York City pedestrian traffic accidents from 2001 to 2009. Despite the fact that New York City is safer for pedestrian traffic than such major U.S. cities as Boston, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta. Despite the extensive and expensive recent installation of miles and miles and miles of bike lanes around the City. Despite the near decade-old hike in cyclist citation fees from $40 to $100.

New York City pedestrian traffic fatalities remain a huge concern for residents, law enforcement and government officials, the NYC Dept. of Transportation reports. And here's why. Pedestrians are 10 times more likely to die than their motor-vehicle occupant counterparts when involved in a serious New York City traffic accident. Whether the pedestrian is struck by a car or a cyclist matters little when it comes to the likelihood of serious injury or death. Pedestrians in New York City are the most vulnerable population on our streets. Period.

Continue reading "Bicyclists and Pedestrians at high risk for New York City car accident" »