New York State Department of Health Issues Safety Tips To Help Prevent Pedestrian Accidents
Injuries to pedestrians are among the top ten causes of hospital admissions and deaths for almost all age groups across New York state. According to the New York State Department of Health, “Approximately 300 pedestrians are killed and 15,000 are injured by motor vehicles each year on the state’s roadways, and more than 3,000 pedestrians are admitted to the hospital annually. It is important for both drivers and pedestrians to pay attention and follow the law to prevent injuries.” Pedestrians are less visible than cars and lack the protections afforded by motor vehicles.
Pursuant to New York Vehicle Code 1146, all drivers must exercise due care to avoid hitting pedestrians, bicyclists and domestic animals in the roadway. When a driver fails to slow down to avoid hitting pedestrians, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. There are many steps that both drivers and pedestrians should take in order to avoid pedestrian collisions.
Safety Tips For Pedestrians
- Only cross the street and marked crosswalks and intersections
- Use the pedestrian pushbutton and wait until given the signal to cross.
- Before crossing the road, check for traffic in both directions.
- Use sidewalks whenever possible. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic in order to see the vehicles coming at you.
- Pay attention to the road and don’t text while crossing the road.
- Make eye contact with drivers whenever possible.
- Stay visible after dark by wearing light-colored or reflective clothing.
- Refrain from stepping suddenly into traffic.
- Watch out for buses and trucks backing out of parking spaces or driveways. These vehicles have large blind spots.
Safety Tips For Drivers
- Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and at intersections.
- Do not block crosswalks when stopping at intersections.
- Slow down and obey all speed limits. Inclement weather or poor road conditions may necessitate that you slow down well below the speed limit.
- Always check for pedestrians, especially when making right hand turns on red.
- Refrain from running red lights under all circumstances.
- Slow down when approaching stopped vehicles since they might be stopping for a pedestrian.
- Pay attention to the road ahead of you and never text and drive.
- Share the road responsibly with pedestrians and drivers.
Getting Legal Help After Pedestrian Accidents
No matter how safe any pedestrian might be in protecting themselves, there is still the possibility that they will be injured by a negligent driver. Indeed, it has been estimated that nearly half of all pedestrian fatalities involved the use of alcohol. It is important that any person injured in a pedestrian accident understands that they do have rights. They may be able to seek damages through a civil claim.
If you’ve been injured in a pedestrian accident, our team of pedestrian accident attorneys at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims get the medical and financial support that they need in order to recover. In fact, we’ve recovered over $1 billion for our deserving clients. Whether you just have legal questions or are thinking about hiring an attorney we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (516) 908-9792.
