Recently in Pedestrian Accidents Category

A new study by Hunter College shows that bicycle pedestrian accidents are a greater concern than previously thought. In New York City, more than 500 pedestrians each year are injured badly enough after getting struck by a bicycle to require a hospital visit.

While 500 serious injuries may pale in comparison to the number of pedestrian injuries caused by cars in the city, the number is surprisingly high for researchers, reports The New York Times. Only two years ago, an analysis of different data showed just a little over 1,000 hospital-inducing bike/pedestrian accidents for the whole country.

The Lamar Odom car accident in Queens resulted in the death of a 15-year old boy. And according to reports, onlookers were more interested in the Los Angeles Lakers' forward than they were in helping the dying teenager, Awsaf Islam.

The New York Daily News reports that a motorcycle hit the front bumper of a Cadillac Escalade carrying Odom. The motorcycle then spun out of control and struck Islam who was riding a scooter. Islam died shortly thereafter.

Family members of those in the armed services live with the fear that their loved one will be killed in combat. But for the family of 22-year-old Marine Cpl. Steve Jorgenson, the news was in a way, worse. Having survived nine months in Afghanistan and training for a new "dangerous" mission, Cpl. Jorgenson was killed in a traffic accident on the West Side Highway early on the morning of May 26.

It was his first night in New York.

Manhattan housekeeper Gloria Aguilar had her original jury award of $27.5 million from her personal injury case now reduced to $18 million by a New York state appeals court. The Appellate Division stated that the Manhattan jury’s payout was actually skewed and incorrect due to an error found on the verdict sheet.

According to the New York Daily News, Aguilar was coming home from her job in Queens when a New York City transit bus struck her while making a turn from 50th Street onto 10th Avenue. Aguilar, a mother of three, ended up losing the lower part of her left leg and also has a paralyzed right leg from the November 2005 accident, leaving her wheel-chair bound.

Most New Yorkers are either well aware of or have at least heard about the perilous risks of crossing the Grand Concourse. “It’s like a Boulevard of Death,” said city local Lisa Rodriguez.

The transit advocacy group Transportation Alternatives has even ranked the treacherous intersection as the tenth-most dangerous in New York City and the third-most dangerous in the Bronx, reported the New York Daily News. “It’s a big, scary street, and it makes people feel like they’re on the highway when they’re driving,” said Noah Budnick of Transportation Alternatives.

Several New York lawmakers believe pedestrians may be distracting themselves with devices like cell phones and iPods as they cross streets, which can ultimately affect traffic safety. To resolve the issue, a bill pending with New York's transportation committee seeks to prohibit the use of electronic devices while crossing streets and even includes runners and other exercisers in its legislation.

"The big thing has been distracted driving," said policy specialist Anne Teigen. "But now it's moving into other ways technology can distract you, into everyday things." According to The New York Times, the Governors Highway Safety Association reported pedestrian accident deaths have risen significantly for the first time in four years.

New York City cyclists may soon be required to have an ID tag attached to their bike if city councilman Eric Ulrich gets his proposal for bike registrations approved, according to the New York Post. Bikers would also have to pay a small fee for the registrations, which Ulrich thinks will help tackle the “double standard” that seems to exist “when it comes to enforcing the traffic laws” to bikers.

“Bicycles are involved in accidents, unfortunately, across this city,” said Ulrich. He also mentioned that most bike riders do not carry any form of identification, because “they’re in Spandex or whatnot.” Not having an ID may be problematic in the event a biker gets into an accident.

According to the New York Post, the New York City Health Department reported pedestrians made up 52 percent of traffic deaths in the city during the last four years. Many of those pedestrians killed had actually been obeying the law. Among the 1,467 car-related deaths, 770 pedestrians were killed between 2005 and 2009. Brooklyn had the most pedestrian deaths, totaling 32 percent.

45 percent of pedestrians killed in an auto accident at an intersection with signals had the light on their side as they crossed. A majority of them crossed the street when they weren't supposed to, and 60 percent of those jaywalkers were men. Those in the vehicles at the time of an accident accounted for 29 percent of traffic deaths. 11 percent of those killed have been motorcyclists, while 7 percent were bicyclists.

Pedestrian accidents are common in large populous metros like the Big Apple. Collisions with bicycles or motor vehicles are typical causes for pedestrian injuries and often leave individuals wounded and uncertain about what they should do after having been hurt. If you or someone you know has been involved in a pedestrian accident, here are a few things to keep in mind when handling the situation.

According to FindLaw, it's important to write down as much as you can about the accident. Be sure to take note of the injuries and losses you have suffered, like wages, and the conversations you may have with other people involved in the accident or claim. Gather any evidence on who caused the accident and what damage was done; collecting physical items or taking pictures are incredibly useful.

The New York Times reported a surge of conflict between bicycle riders and pedestrians has been coursing through New York City, but most objections to bad bike behaviors come from Manhattan. According to police, the number one complaint among locals in the Upper East Side has been cyclists who disobey traffic laws. 

Jack Brown of the Coalition Against Rogue Riding said that "bikes are running amok." Carriage drivers, pedestrians, and other cyclists have complained about fast riders known as "scorchers." Delivery guys, who often "salmon" or move against the flow of traffic and run red lights, are adding to the erratic behavior of bikers. Curb cuts and ramps at many of the New York intersections have also made it easier for bikers to maneuver through the sidewalks and street.