New York Injury Lawyer Blawg

Halloween is a fun time for our young ones to dress up as spooky ghosts and goblins, but only by practicing a few safe Halloween tips can we avoid a serious accident on All Hallow's Eve. During Halloween, your child's risks for an pedestrian accident in New York skyrocket. As a matter of fact, your child is most likely to be involved in a pedestrian accident on October 31st than during any other night of the year.

Our New York injury attorneys and the New York State Police Department are here to offer safety tips to parents to help keep their young ones safe. Parents are urged to discuss these safety tips before heading out the door for trick-or-treating adventures this year.

Halloween Safety Tips:

-Never allow young children to go trick-or-treating alone. Children should always be accompanied by an adult.

-Make sure children are accompanied at the door of every house they trick-or-treat at.

-Children should only use homes driveways and sidewalks. Never cut across someone's yard.

-Parents should be familiar with the places that they're taking children trick-or treating.

-Children should be warned to never go inside anyone's house without parental consent.

-Children should not approach the vehicle of anyone they don't know.

-Costumes should have reflective tape adhered to them to make them more visible to passing motorists. Consider giving your child a flashlight, too!

-Children should consider using face paint instead of wearing masks. Masks can obstruct a trick-or-treater's line of vision.

-Make sure that all costumes are marked as flame resistant or flame retardant.

-Trick-or-treaters should never approach a house that is not well-lit. Only trick-or-treat at homes that have a porch light or an "outside" light on.

-Do not hesitate to report any suspicious activity.

-Teach children to scream if anyone tries to grab them or is forceful with them in any way.

-Be sure to look over children's goody bags before over the candy to them. Dispose of open candy or candy that appears to have been tampered with. Only factory-wrapped candy should be consumed.

-Consider throwing a small party for your children and their friends at your home as a safe alternative to trick-or-treating.

-Make sure children have comfortable shoes on.

-Keep jack-o-lanterns away from children and never leave them lit and unattended.

Halloween is a fun time of the year for all ages, but it can quickly turn deadly. Motorists are also asked to be cautious on our roadways during this time of the year. Be extremely cautious when driving through residential neighborhoods. As the nighttime approaches, young ghosts and goblins will be flocking the streets in search of sugary goodies. Avoid a potentially fatal accident and be on the lookout for these goblins. Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Continue reading "Halloween: A Spooky Time for Child Accidents in New York" »

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recently announced the launch of Chuggington, a children's cartoon designed to help educate our young ones about how to be safe around cars. This safety campaign was designed for children ages 2- to 7-years-old. Parents can also access Chugginton's website for downloadable safety tips and activities to use to join in on the learning process to help children avoid a potentially fatal accident in New York.

This young age group is some of the most vulnerable in traffic accidents. Help them to fight against these risks with the proper safety knowledge.

"Educating children at an early age...leads to a lifetime of good traffic safety habits," said U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Ray LaHood.

Our New York child injury lawyers understand that traffic crashes are leading cause of death for children in the United States. In 2009, there were nearly 1,315 fatalities and almost 180,000 injuries that occurred to individuals under the age of 15 in the U.S. Pedestrian accidents alone accounted for a good portion of these accidents. In 2007, there were nearly 300 deaths and almost 120,000 injuries that happened among pedestrians in this same young age group. Chuggington is here to help to teach children how to be safe when riding a bicycle, when riding the school bus, when walking near traffic and when riding in a car. In all of these scenarios, children are at serious risks for accidents if they're not careful and not properly educated.

Children should be taught that they should always wear a bicycling helmet when riding a bike, that they should always look both ways before crossing the street and that they should always wear a seat belt, regardless of if they're in a child's seat or not.

Throughout the cartoon video series, children will be able to earn badges from Chuggington and his friends for learning the proper and safe behavior to practice when in each of these scenarios. Ultimately, children will be urged to obtain their "Think Safe, Ride Safe, Be Safe!" traffic safety badge, which they can get after taking the pledge to practice these safe traveling habits.

The Chuggington video series was released to coincide with National Child Passenger Safety Week. National Child Passenger Safety Week is used to urge parents to take their car and their child's seat to a certified car seat inspector to make sure that the devices are properly installed in the vehicle. In the U.S., it's estimated that about 70 percent of all child car seats are installed improperly. Parents should take their child's car seat to a certified inspector. Through numerous studies, children's seats have been shown to be effective in saving lives in the event of a traffic accident and for these devices to work, parents must know how to properly install them.

We're urging parents to get involved in Chuggington's efforts to make our children smarter and safer travelers. Let's teach our children these safe habits early to better ensure a lifetime of safe travels.

Continue reading "Chuggington Offers Safety Tips to Kids to Help Prevent Accidents in Manhattan and Elsewhere" »

Pedestrian accidents in New York City accounted for more than half of all fatal traffic-related accidents from 2005 to 2009, according to the New York City Department of Transportation.

The rest of the country is experiencing alarming rates of fatal pedestrian accidents as well. According to a recent study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety that looked at of 7,000 reports of accidents that resulted in serious injury or death to pedestrians, there were more than 4,000 pedestrians that were fatally injured in 2009 because of traffic-related accidents in the U.S. Close to 60,000 pedestrians were injured in these types of incidents.

The AAA study concluded that the risk of an accident is directly correlated with the speed of the vehicle. Therefore, the study has concluded that reduce the speed of motorists is one way to help decrease the risks of these serious accidents.

Our New York pedestrian accident lawyers understand that the New York City Department of Transportation is looking into ways to reduce these types of accidents as well. One of the ways that the DOT is approaching is the Pedestrian Safety Report and Action Plan. This plan started with the analysis of more than 7,000 accident reports in an attempt to find the underlying causes. The DOT is then using this information to find ways to make roadways safer for everyone.

Important findings of New York City's Pedestrian Safety Report and Action Plan:

• Traffic accidents in the City cost the local economy nearly $4.5 billion a year.


• Pedestrians are about 10 times more likely to be killed on our roadways than an occupant of a motor vehicle in the event of an accident.


• Driver inattention was a top contributor in nearly 40 percent of accidents in which a pedestrian was seriously injured or killed.


• Nearly 30 percent of fatal pedestrian accidents were the result of a driver failing to yield.


• Pedestrian-vehicle accidents are about twice as deadly as any other type of accident.


• Pedestrian accidents are about 70 percent deadlier on major street corridors in comparison to smaller local streets.


• Most drivers in New York are unaware of the 30 mph standard speed limit.


• Roughly 80 percent of pedestrian-car accidents that seriously injure or kill pedestrians involve a male driver.


• Nearly 80 percent of serious or fatal accidents that involve a vehicle and a pedestrian involve a private vehicle, not a bus, a truck or a taxi.


• Manhattan has four times more serious pedestrian accidents per mile than any of the other four major boroughs.


• More than 40 percent of pedestrians who were killed in Manhattan were residents of other boroughs or lived outside of the city.

-Fix up approximately 60 miles of New York City streets and engineer them with more pedestrian-safe features. The selection of these areas will correspond with specific accident data.
-Pedestrian countdown signals will be installed at roughly 1,500 intersections.
-Twenty intersections will be reconstructed to increase safety for pedestrians.
-Pilot programs will be conducted to test out 20 mph speed limits in specific neighborhoods.
-Pilot programs will be conducted in an attempt to improve the visibility of left-hand turns for those along avenues in Manhattan.

According to Transportation for America, New York's most dangerous metro areas for pedestrians are as follows (from 2000 to 2009):

-New York/Northern New Jersey-Long Island: 3,485 deaths.
-Buffalo-Niagara Falls: 163 deaths.
-Rochester: 122 deaths.
-Syracuse: 93 deaths.
-Albany-Schenectady-Troy: 92 deaths.

Continue reading "Pedestrian Accidents in New York City Account for more than 50 Percent of all Fatal Traffic Accidents" »

A Yeshiva World News article reports that the New York State Senate has passed a bill to help protect pedestrians from truck accidents in Manhattan and throughout the state.

Our New York personal injury lawyers know that equipping trucks with special mirrors will help reduce Manhattan pedestrian accidents caused by trucks.

Requiring trucks to install a special convex mirror will help improve the trucker's ability to see pedestrians. After a large number of pedestrian accidents involving trucks, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg made the request to Sen. Martin Golden to solve the problem.

"Trucks equipped with crossover mirrors eliminate the truck driver's blind spot and allow drivers to see pedestrians crossing in front of them," Golden said. "I am proud to have introduced this important legislation that the state Senate has approved. I urge my colleagues in the state Assembly to now approve this bill, so that Gov. Cuomo can sign it into law, and we can reduce pedestrian fatalities and injuries in New York. This is about saving lives and keeping New Yorkers safe on our streets."

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's 2009 Traffic Safety Facts, 66 percent of pedestrians killed by trucks were initially hit by the front of the truck. Between 1999 and 2008, there were 161 fatal accidents and 2,732 accidents with injuries involving trucks and pedestrians in New York City.

"Crowded city streets pose many navigation challenges for vehicles and pedestrians alike," Senate Majority Leader Dean G. Skelos said. "Requiring the use of special mirrors known to increase visibility in the front of trucks is a simple step that will reduce the potential for death or injury and improve the safety of New York neighborhoods."

Earlier this month, the Yeshiva World News reported on a 4-year-old boy who was hit by a truck while riding his tricycle. The trucker admitted to not being able to see the small child in front of his truck.

All combinations of trucks, tractors, tractor-trailers or semi-trailers registered in New York State that have a conventional cab configuration and a weight of 26,000 pounds or more must now be equipped with special crossover mirrors when in service in New York City. Trucks equipped with crossover mirrors enable the driver to see anyone who is 3 feet tall and one foot in front of the truck. The bill has gone to the Assembly.

Continue reading "Senate passes bill to protect New York pedestrians from truck accidents " »

Our New York City accident lawyers know that navigating through New York's busiest intersections is dangerous and the risks of being involved in a pedestrian accident in New York are high.

We have reported earlier on our New York Injury Lawyer Blawg that pedestrians could face fines for walking distracted in hopes of reducing the number of accidents that occur in the city. Texting has been made a focal point in legislation due to the nature of accidents it is causing among both pedestrians and motorists.

CBS 2 New York is reporting on a 3-year study identifying the deadliest streets in New York City.

The following are the results, for the five boroughs of New York, during the studies time period of January 2006 through December 2008:

On Manhattan streets 120 pedestrians were killed.
The analyzed federal traffic fatality data revealed:
3rd Avenue, Broadway, 7th Avenue, Amsterdam Avenue, and Bowery had the most pedestrian deaths.

On Bronx streets 57 pedestrians were killed.
The analyzed federal traffic fatality data revealed:
East Gunhill Road, Grand Concourse, and Broadway had the most pedestrian deaths.

On Brooklyn streets 151 pedestrians were killed.
The analyzed federal traffic fatality data revealed:
Atlantic Avenue, Kings Highway, 4th Avenue, Ocean Parkway, and Neptune Avenue had the most pedestrian deaths.

On streets in Queens 94 pedestrians were killed.
The analyzed federal traffic fatality data revealed:
Queens Boulevard had the most pedestrian deaths.

On Staten Island streets 23 pedestrians were killed.
The analyzed federal traffic fatality data revealed:
Hylan Boulevard had the most pedestrian deaths.

Local residents expressed concern about the volume and speed of the traffic that makes crossing the streets difficult. Confusing traffic signals was also a concern to one resident. And sadly one resident expressed the horror of seeing someone get hit by a car.

Safety improvements have been made, including pedestrian islands, countdown clocks on red lights, installation of safety barriers, and increased crossing times. Such improvements have helped decrease pedestrian deaths to the lowest level on record.

Just as distracted drivers cause accidents so do distracted pedestrians. Pay attention while you are walking, take out the earbuds, put away the cell phone and lower the volume on the radio. Minimizing these behaviors and activities will likely reduce the risk of a pedestrian accident while walking the streets of New York City.

Continue reading "New York City's deadliest intersections increase risk of car accidents, pedestrian accidents" »

A call for more and improved separate bike paths in New York is in order, but first city officials want to see crash data on New York City bicycle accidents.

The Wall Street Journal reports they just got their wish with the unanimous passing of three bills that pertain to bicycle crashes leading to severe injury or fatality.

The New York injury lawyers at Ronai & Ronai are optimistic that the new bills being passed will give the City Council the information it needs to make an informed decision about implementing more bike-only lanes away from city streets. This will not only decrease cycling accidents but should cut down on the number of pedestrians struck by cars and bicycles.

NY 1 reports that the following will now be required from New York Department of Transportation and New York Police Department:
- NYDOT will begin annual reporting on bike and pedestrian crashes broken down by precinct.

- NYDOT will publish a report every 5 years on traffic crashes resulting in serious injury or death.

-NYDOT will rank the 20 most dangerous intersections by name.

-NYPD will need to publish monthly, a searchable database for all traffic accidents, injuries, and fatalities.

-NYPD will be required to report the number of moving violations, locations, and tickets issued each month.

In the past, the only available information has been crash statistics. Bicycle safety advocates are optimistic that the new required data will help improve safety and reduce the number of serious and fatal accidents. WNYC reports such data is needed to pinpoint problem intersections where improvements need made.

Up until now it has been guesswork and assumptions. It is also hoped that communities will use the information to take a stand and get involved in making their street corners safer.

It seems like a win-win situation. Metro reports that with the popularity of bicycles in New York City these days, something needs to be done. It's a double-edged sword when it comes to who is at fault. Bikers accuse pedestrians of getting in their way on the bike path. Pedestrians accuse bikers of riding on sidewalks. Both accuse motorists of ignoring their rights.

The new required data should now be able to distinguish who is at fault, as well as where and why the crash occurred.

Continue reading "New data should help reduce risks of New York City Bicycle Accidents" »

In a recent article on Fox Boston it was reported that New York State Senator Carl Kruger is going to take texting bans to the next level.

Due to the increase in New York pedestrian accidents while texting, he is proposing a fine be assessed to walkers who text. The allegation is that pedestrian accidents have risen because too many walkers are distracted by their cell phones. Citing these violators with a $100 fine is the Senators proposed method of getting pedestrians to pay attention while they are walking the city streets of Brooklyn.

Texting-while-walking was to blame for two recent deaths that occurred in Brooklyn.

Our New York personal injury attorneys believe distracted driving is the bigger issue. Walkers typically have the right of way. Drivers who cause serious or fatal New York City pedestrian accidents must be held more accountable for their actions. Making it illegal to walk and text is probably not even feasible from a civil liberties point of view.

In a previous post on our New York Injury Lawyer Blawg we reported about the New York City Pedestrian Safety Study & Action Plan, conducted by New York City Department of Transportation. After examining over 7,000 crashes, key findings in the study include:

-A total of $4.29 billion is spent annually on traffic crashes in the City.

-The safest year on record in New York City was 2009.

-From 2005-2009, pedestrians accounted for 52% of traffic fatalities.

-Almost 36% of pedestrian fatalities or serious injuries were due to motorists' distraction.

-Walkers are 10 times more likely to die than an occupant in a motor vehicle when a crash occurs.

-Major streets are about two-thirds deadlier for pedestrians than small local streets.

-Male drivers account for 80% of crashes that seriously or fatally injure a pedestrian.

In 2009, New York State Department of Motor Vehicles reported a total of 307 pedestrian fatalities. Pedestrians between the ages of 21-49 accounted for over a third of fatalities recorded at 116; the 45-49 year-old age group was tied for next highest at 27 recorded fatalities in 2009.

Though driving while distracted has become a major focus for the government, most would agree that fining pedestrians for texting would be a major battle. Perhaps willing them to use some common sense would be a first good step in reducing the number of New York City pedestrian accidents.

Continue reading "New York Pedestrian Accidents - Will Walking and Texting be Illegal?" »

Even though recent studies have indicated that fatal accidents in New York City were at a low in 2009, pedestrians still have good reason to fear being struck and fatally injured by motorists in and around the city.

The New York City Pedestrian Accident Study, reported in our previous New York Injury Lawyer Blawg, found that Manhattan pedestrians are four-times more likely to be in an accident than the other four boroughs. It is most likely that pedestrians will be struck by a private vehicle rather than a taxi cab or other vehicle used for commercial reasons.

The New York City injury attorneys at Ronai & Ronai understand that pedestrian accidents are a legitimate concern due to the vast number of motorists and walkers in the City each day.

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association Spotlight on Highway Safety Study, New York still remains near the top in pedestrian fatalities, ranked fourth behind California, Texas, and Florida.

In fact, more than 20% of the state's traffic fatalities were pedestrians.

GHSA recently reported that for the first time in four years, there has been an increase in pedestrian fatalities. Seven more deaths were reported nationwide during the first six months of 2010. This is significant considering overall traffic fatalities decreased by 8% throughout the country.

Also significant is the fact that pedestrian traffic fatalities in 2005 were recorded at 4,892 and had dropped to 4,091 in 2009; an average decrease of 200 deaths per year.

New York, notably known for high pedestrian fatalities, reported a decrease in pedestrian fatalities from January through June 2010. New York State Department of Motor Vehicles reported a total of 256,953 accidents to the police in 2009. Of those reported accidents, there were 307 pedestrian fatalities and another 14,760 police reported pedestrian injuries.

There were many factors related to these accidents. But one conclusion drawn from the preliminary data for 2010 is that distraction is becoming more of a prominent cause for pedestrian traffic fatalities.

GHSA Chairman Vernon F. Betkey Jr. notes, "One factor may be the increased distractions for both pedestrians and drivers. Anyone who travels in a busy city has seen countless pedestrians engrossed in conversation or listening to music while crossing a busy street. Just as drivers need to focus on driving safely, pedestrians need to focus on walking safely - without distractions."

The study proposes that states adhere to the following principles to improve pedestrian safety:

-Adapt and enforce laws that make pedestrian commuting safer. For example, require vehicles to stop for pedestrian traffic in crosswalks.

-Place law enforcement officials at crosswalks or nearby so that if someone jaywalks or a motorist fails to stop for a pedestrian they can be issued a warning or ticket for violating the law.

-Design more space on roadways for pedestrians to use or add more crosswalk signs for highly populated intersections.

-Invest more money into pedestrian safety through education or training devices.

-Continue to educate young children in schools about the dangers of bad pedestrian behavior, and how to employ safe behaviors when crossing the street.

Continue reading "New York City pedestrian accidents a leading risk for injury in Manhattan and surrounding areas" »

A Baltimore family started their year off tragically Sunday evening while in Brooklyn visiting their family for the holidays. A mother and her twin baby boys were victims of a New York City taxi cab accident after a livery cab ran out of control. The three were run down by a truck pushed onto the sidewalk by the out-of-control cab.

Pedestrians are at high risk in New York City; a recent study found that pedestrian accidents in Brooklyn, Manhattan and the other boroughs are responsible for more than half of all traffic fatalities in the city.

CBS New York reports that the livery cab driver was driving erratically on Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park prior to hitting an illegally parked minivan. On impact the minivan proceeded to push an unoccupied pickup truck up on the sidewalk and into the family of three.

With no time to react, the mother and her two 9 month old babies were seriously injured in the accident with one of the twin boys in critical condition with severe head trauma. The cab driver and three passengers were also taken to the hospital with injuries. The police are still investigating but the cab driver (driving with a suspended license) was charged Sunday with aggravated unlicensed operation and reckless driving.

The New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission is responsible for licensing and regulating both the fleet of vehicles as well as the drivers employed in New York City cabs. There are in excess of 100,000 drivers who operate more than 50,000 vehicles in the City.

The Commission has strict requirements for the drivers who are employed by the NYC cab companies. Not only does age, physical health, knowledge of geography, and good moral character come into play when applying for a taxicab driver's license but showing proof of identity and a New York State chauffer's license is required.

The Brooklyn accident happened so fast that there was little the mother could do to protect her children in this tragic incident. You certainly can't predict the behavior of New York cab drivers. At best, you can only hope that they drive with a standard that is expected of them by the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission.

Continue reading "New York City cab accident seriously injuries family of pedestrians" »

If you are the type of person who hates shopping online or feels it is important to pick out a gift in person, you should use extra caution in your holiday shopping this time of year. The number of shoppers on the roadways, street sidewalks, and in the parking lots is cause for increased chances of New York City car accidents during the holiday shopping season.

In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration using the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) reported 4,435 pedestrian fatalities in the United States. New York accounted for a total 323 of those fatalities which was fourth most among all states (only California, Florida, and Texas reported more). In December of 2009, New York reported 27 pedestrian fatalities, again ranked fourth behind these same three states.

A study done from 2002-2006 regarding New York City car and pedestrian accidents indicated that men are more likely to be driving the vehicle hitting a pedestrian. It also indicated that pedestrians who don't use the intersections required by law are less likely to get hit, but when they do get hit they are more likely to be fatally injured.

This doesn't offer the advice that you are better off crossing in the middle of street than at a street corner because crosswalks are maintained as the safer travel route.

If you are a pedestrian shopping the city streets or getting to your parked vehicle you should follow the following safety tips:

-Pay attention to your surroundings and don't get distracted.

-Look both ways before crossing the street or parking lot area.

-Make an effort to shop in non-peak times rather than at rush hour, evenings, or on the weekends.

-Survey that you have all your belongings or people in your group before moving to the next shopping area.

As a driver, you may keep in mind these safety tips if you are out holiday shopping:

-Don't be in a rush to get to that parking spot first, make sure it's safe before pulling in.

-Make alternate shopping plans if the weather is potentially dangerous where visibility and sliding is an issue.

-Make sure the intersection is clear before passing through or making a turn, even if you have the green light.

-Shop when you are well rested so that road rage, distracted driving, or drowsy driving do not come into play.

No matter how you do your holiday shopping this year, be careful and courteous to those around you.

Continue reading "Shoppers on the hunt could cause New York City accidents" »

New York City pedestrian accidents have reached epidemic proportions and, with a government warning about the increased risk that comes with early dark, we urge motorists and pedestrians alike to stay safe through the upcoming holiday season.

Pedestrian accidents accounted for 158 of the 256 fatal accidents reported in New York City last year. Our Manhattan injury lawyers noted recently that the City of New York announced a comprehensive plan to deal with the dangers of serious and fatal pedestrian accidents in Manhattan and the outer boroughs.

Even as the number of fatal accidents in New York declined to the lowest level in nearly a century, the number of fatal pedestrian accidents actually increased last year. The Pedestrian Safety Study & Action Plan found that pedestrians in Manhattan were at four-times greater risk than the other four boroughs.

"We've made historic gains in reducing traffic fatalities," said Mayor Bloomberg. "But we still see too many families devastated by traffic accidents."

As part of its response, the city plans to install more than 1,500 countdown signals at intersections citywide.

Meanwhile, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is warning that early darkness and an end to daylight savings time will increase the risk of car accidents and pedestrian accidents at dusk, particularly during the afternoon commute. Nationwide, about 25 percent of pedestrian accidents occur between the hours of 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Among the findings of the New York City Pedestrian Accident Study:

-The majority (80 percent) of at-fault drivers were men.

-Failure to yield was cited in 25 percent of pedestrian accidents.

-Pedestrians are 10 times more likely to die in a crash than a motorist.

-The majority of vehicles involved in pedestrian accidents were private vehicles -- only about 20 percent were taxi cabs or other commercial vehicles.

Continue reading "New York City pedestrian accidents a serious threat amid early darkness" »