Most people in New York have heard about New York City’s effort to eliminate pedestrian deaths. Referred to as Vision Zero, this effort is one that has been heralded and adopted by many other cities around the nation. As the greater New York City area and the state as a whole strive to find ways to make their streets, sidewalks and parking lots safer for foot traffic, it is interesting to watch the data to see if they are successfully moving the needle.
According to records from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the state experienced two consecutive increases in the number of pedestrian fatalities from 2014 to 2015 and again from 2015 to 2016. In that last year, 307 people on foot were killed in vehicular accidents across the state. These deaths represented 29% of all traffic fatalities that year.
In 2017, some progress was noted as both the number and percentage of all deaths dropped. A total of 246 pedestrian fatalities occurred that year, accounting for 24% of all accident deaths. Last year, however, the trend was reversed in the wrong direction. In 2018, 262 pedestrians lost their lives on New York streets while overall traffic deaths declined. Last year’s pedestrian fatalities accounted for 28% of all traffic deaths.
This information is not intended to provide legal advice but is instead meant to give residents in all parts of the state of New York an overview of the ongoing risks they face as pedestrians and the importance of seeking assistance after any accident involving a pedestrian and a motor vehicle.
