New York Personal Injury Law Blog

Pedestrian fatalities in New York and across the country spiked in 2018 according to data from the Governor's Highway Safety Association. The organization reports that New York had the sixth highest number of pedestrian deaths last year.

More than 6,200 pedestrians were killed on and around U.S. roads in 2018, which is the highest total since 1990. According to traffic safety experts, two of the major reasons for the increase are smartphones and in-vehicle infotainment systems, which distract both drivers and pedestrians. For example, a police officer in Colonie told a media outlet that he routinely tickets drivers for texting behind the wheel, and he frequently issues citations to pedestrians who fail to use crosswalks because they are texting and walking. There were 33 pedestrian accidents in the town last year, and one person was killed.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released estimates indicating that the number of bicyclist deaths increased by 10% in 2018. Cyclist and pedestrian deaths are on the rise in New York and across the country, with each of those statistics likely to hit its highest total in decades. Meanwhile, cars and trucks are getting safer thanks to new technologies.

When the statistics are finalized, the number of cyclist deaths in 2018 is likely to be the highest it has been since 1988. The number of pedestrian fatalities rose by 4% and is likely to be the highest it has been since 1990. The number of traffic fatalities overall dropped by 1%. Several automakers have introduced bicycle and pedestrian detection systems tied to their automatic braking technologies. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has said it will require car makers beginning in 2020 to include pedestrian detection systems as standard features in order to be considered for the ranking of Top Safety Pick Plus.

Road design can have a major impact on the severity of car accidents in New York. For example, some road crossings are marked only by stop signs, especially in rural areas. This can even be true when each road has a high speed limit of 55 mph. While these roads receive relatively low traffic volume, these types of crossings may mean that the car accidents that do occur are far more likely to lead to severe injuries or fatalities. Cars and trucks on rural, sparsely populated roads may be more likely to run stop signs or even miss them due to brush or other obstructions in the way.

One of the methods that can help cities and towns reduce the risk of severe car crashes is the installation of roundabouts. When drivers approach traffic circles, they are forced to slow down. In some ways, they can even be more effective than the traditional approach to reducing dangerous crashes by installing traffic lights. There are fewer accidents at intersections with posted traffic lights. However, the crashes that do take place are often serious and involve catastrophic injuries. On the other hand, roundabouts do not decrease the number of accidents as significantly, but car accidents are far less likely to be severe.

The National Institutes for Health and Virginia Tech University have conducted a study on the driving habits of teens with a learner's permit and those who have been newly licensed. New York motorists may be interested to hear the results.

Researchers monitored the driving of 90 teen participants, starting from the time they obtained their permit to the first year they were licensed. Dash cams observed the driver and the road, and software recorded speed and braking data. Researchers concluded that participants, in the first three months of having a license, were eight times more likely to crash than during their last three months with a permit.