On behalf of Smiley & Smiley, LLP posted in Car Accidents on Friday, July 26, 2013.
June in New York City is primarily a month marked by children enjoying summer vacation, tourists taking in the sites and adults soaking up the newly warm weather. However, June is also a month marked by a significant number of motor vehicle accidents. Specifically, NYC residents tend to suffer a staggering amount of pedestrian and cycling accidents in June.
By examining just how many accidents occurred in June and what inspired these accidents, NYC residents can gain a better sense of how to avoid future accidents and in what ways the city needs to respond in order to prevent a reoccurrence of these numbers next June. In addition, highlighting these numbers can foster a better sense of how accident victims are affected by the city’s safety gaps.
According to the most recently released NYPD report on crash data, more than 5,000 individuals were injured in NYC traffic accidents this past month and 22 individuals died. Of those killed, 14 were cyclists or pedestrians.
By far, the most prevalent contributing factor to injurious and fatal NYC crashes in June was driver inattention and/or distraction. Motorists following too closely, improper lane or turning behavior, unsafe backing up and failure to yield to another who had the right of way were additionally among the most prevalent contributing factors.
From January 1 of this year through the end of June, more than 7,600 pedestrians and cyclists were injured in motor vehicle accidents in NYC and an additional 78 were killed. These startling statistics reveal wide safety gaps in the city’s crosswalk culture that need to be addressed both urgently and adequately.
Source: Streetsblog.org, “NYPD: 1,464 Pedestrians and Cyclists Injured, 14 Killed in Traffic in June,” Brad Aaron, July 22, 2013
Related Posts: Recognizing and reducing the cost of traumatic brain injuries, What is the concern over New York's hit-and-run laws?, Moving into unchartered territory with self-driving cars, The impaired driving problem and what is being done about it
