New York Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
New York City is a walking city, and as the foot traffic grows, the chances of pedestrian accidents increases. The NYC Department of Transportation, which has been officially studying pedestrian volume since it created the Pedestrian Volume Index in 2007, reports a 13 percent increase in sidewalk traffic, further stating that City sidewalks are more crowded now than at any time since the study began.
Pedestrian accidents are common, and they are extremely dangerous; pedestrian accidents account for more than half of all motor vehicle accidents in New York City. Many of the new technological advancements are making drivers more safe while on the road but have done little to protect pedestrians on the street. You can help make New York City streets safer by holding negligent and reckless drivers accountable for the damages they cause to pedestrians. A dedicated and passionate New York pedestrian accident attorney can help you fight for the damages you are owed and keep the roads and sidewalks safer for other New York citizens.
Crosswalks: Help or Hindrance?
Even designated crosswalk areas can be hazardous when one car slows or stops to yield to a pedestrian, but the negligent driver behind the slowing vehicle does not consider there may be a pedestrian in the street and decides to swerve around the slow or stopped car, striking the pedestrian. Other common crosswalk accidents occur when cars rush through an intersection to make a light or make a left-hand turn without first checking whether the crosswalk is clear. Pedestrians themselves, of course, must take care to only cross when the street lights permit it, and to exercise care and caution at all times. Pedestrians, in general, should possess the right of way at crosswalks, and crosswalks, in theory, are the safest places for pedestrians to cross the street.
New York Traffic Laws Protect Pedestrians
New York drivers are responsible for exercising due care when on the road, and that duty of care extends to pedestrians on sidewalks and in the streets. New York traffic rules grant specific duties to New York drivers when it comes to pedestrians, and when they violate those rules, people get hurt. If a New York driver injures you or a loved one by driving negligently and in violation of New York safety laws, you are entitled to compensation, and to justice. The laws do, in turn, require pedestrians to observe certain safety practices as well.
New York City DOT Traffic Rules require, among other things:
- Drivers exercise due care in order to avoid accidents with pedestrians
- Drivers yield to pedestrians in crosswalks if there are no traffic or pedestrian control signals, or if the vehicle’s path is close enough to put the pedestrian’s life in danger
- Drivers may not pass vehicles stopped at a crosswalk waiting for pedestrians to cross
- Drivers yield to pedestrians crossing with a WALK, green hand, or green person signal
- Drivers yield to pedestrians who are already in crosswalks at the time that traffic signals change
Drivers who disobey these rules and thereby cause an accident are likely to be at fault for any resulting injuries or fatalities.
Sidewalk Dangers, Premises Construction and Repair
In addition to the risk of collision with an automobile or bus, pedestrians face other dangers from slip and fall or trip and fall accidents on sidewalks or unsafe premises. These accidents can occur due to icy, wet, cracked, broken or obstructed sidewalks, or upon entering or exiting a bus or stepping onto or off of a curb. Obstructed sidewalks may also lead to pedestrian accidents with motor vehicles. When construction sites abut or displace sidewalks, or when sidewalk repair itself blocks the sidewalk, pedestrians may be forced onto the street, generating a hazard of tripping over a curb or being struck by a car, truck or bus.
Contact a New York Pedestrian Accident Attorney Today
If you or a loved has been hurt in a pedestrian accident in New York City, contact a New York pedestrian accident lawyer at Leandros A. Vrionedes, P.C., for a free consultation.
