High Rate of Pedestrian Deaths for Seniors In NYC?

It seems that you may have a death wish if you are a senior citizen walking in a crosswalk in New York. Why is that? According to the New York Post, certain areas of New York City are known for a high rate of senior pedestrian deaths.

A study conducted by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign from 2006-2008 shows that pedestrians between the ages of 65 and 70 years of age are more likely to get killed while crossing the street than their younger counterparts. The statistics get even grimmer. While senior pedestrians only make up 17 percent of the population in New York, they make up 42 percent of pedestrian deaths.

Manhattan had the highest rate of senior pedestrian deaths followed by Brooklyn, Nassau County, and Staten Island. New York injury lawyers should not be surprised given the amount of traffic in the city, the rush that most drivers are in, and the general slow pace of senior pedestrians. Even while it is not a surprise, it is still important that seniors have safer streets to cross.

The New York City of Transportation has a Safe Streets for Seniors program which elongates the length of time for traffic lights, makes crosswalks and signs more visible, and fixes cracks in sidewalks.

Perhaps the proposed law called Elle's Law, which would make it a felony punishable by up to four years in prison, for a driver who causes serious physical injury to a pedestrian while violating traffic laws, really is needed in New York.

In the meantime, if you or a family member has been hurt in a pedestrian accident, please know that speaking with a New York injury lawyer may be helpful. Personal injury attorneys often offer free consultations and generally take cases on contingency, which means that you will not be expected to pay attorney fees unless you receive a favorable verdict.

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