Older Citizens More Likely to be Victims of Pedestrian Accidents in the City

The United States has seen a slight increase in the number of pedestrian accidents over the last couple years, with 2020 seeing historic highs for rates of such accidents. In New York, older residents tend to be disproportionately affected as victims.

A public service announcement from the NYPD indicated older pedestrians account for 35 percent of pedestrian accidents in the city each year, despite only accounting for about 13 percent of the population in the city.

Looking at the data

Despite there being fewer cars on the road in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of deaths in pedestrian accidents still rose, and represented what was in fact the largest single-year increase in pedestrian fatality rates ever recorded.

In New York, Staten Island was considered the most dangerous place for pedestrians in a study performed by Insurify Insights. In fact, the only borough of the city not to rank within the top 10 on the study was Queens.

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) also released a report that indicated a rising trend of pedestrian fatalities, especially over the last year.

As a whole, the state of New York has actually had a significant decrease in pedestrian fatalities over the last five years, and the last year in particular. But it is elderly residents who still are disproportionately affected. This is probably due at least in part to their inability to move quickly out of the way if a danger scenario arises. It may also be due to other issues, such as declining perception and senses.

To learn more about the legal options you have if you’ve been injured by a negligent driver, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia LLP.