5 New York City Pedestrians Killed in Single Week

Over the past two years, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s “Vision Zero” plan has been lauded for its commitment to reducing the number of pedestrian deaths in the city. Its execution, however, remains suspect.

In one recent week, from Tuesday, October 4 to Tuesday, October 11, five pedestrians were killed in accidents involving automobiles. It’s a troubling statistic that indicates the city has a long way to go in making its streets safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.

In all but one of these recent accidents, the driver was neither ticketed nor taken into custody at the scene. Additionally, in all but one of those crashes, the pedestrian was determined to have had the right of way.

Dangers of pedestrian accidents in New York City

There was some optimism in New York after pedestrian accidents declined from 2014 to 2015. But the city is now well ahead of last year’s pace for both pedestrian and cycling deaths. In fact, the first nine months of 2016 saw more bike accident deaths than in all of 2015.

What is even more concerning is the seemingly lax crackdown on drivers involved in pedestrian accidents. In one case, a 73-year-old Brooklyn woman was walking to work when a Metro Transit Authority bus struck and killed her. The bus driver was reportedly speeding ahead to make a turn before the traffic light turned red when the crash occurred. However, the driver was not ticketed.

On the morning of Tuesday, October 11, a cyclist was turning right with a light when a truck behind him attempted to make the same turn, reportedly attempting speed through and pass the cyclist. The cyclist remains in critical condition and the driver was not cited.

If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury in a New York pedestrian accident, consult a trusted personal injury attorney with Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia, LLP.