For pedestrians, New York City can be an especially dangerous place

Anyone who lives in or has ever visited New York City would likely attest to the city’s fast-paced nature. Everywhere you go, hoards of pedestrians appear to be hurrying to their desired locations. This mentality is also shared and exhibited by drivers in the city who, when provided the opportunity, frequently speed and put other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at risk.

Statistics show that between 2011 and 2013, a total of 453 pedestrians were involved in fatal motor vehicle accidents throughout the city’s five boroughs. While Mayor de Blasio aims to improve pedestrian safety through the Vision Zero program, some argue that safety improvements are long overdue and that progress is too slow.

With a recorded 10 deaths each from 2011 to 2013, the Bronx’s Grand Concourse and Brooklyn’s Flatbush Avenue are considered the most-deadly city streets. Additionally a total of 17 pedestrians were killed during this timeframe in accidents that occurred in Queens on Woodhaven Boulevard and Queens Boulevard.

As part of the Vision Zero Program, city officials have lowered speed limits throughout the city, erected cameras at locations deemed especially dangers and “passed legislation penalizing drivers who fail to yield to the right of way to pedestrians.” Planned safety efforts include street redesign projects, providing pedestrians more time to cross busy intersections and enhanced enforcement efforts by members of the city’s police department.

When it comes to injuries suffered in pedestrian and motor vehicle accidents, there’s really no such thing as a minor injury. Broken bones and injuries suffered to the head, neck, spine and internal organs may be fatal in nature or leave an individual permanently disabled.

Source: New York Daily News, “60% of downstate pedestrian fatalities were in New York City area, study says, as de Blasio’s Vision Zero program touts recent reduction in death rate,” Pete Donohue, March 4, 2015