Pedestrian Accidents

Published on: November 11, 2016

Pedestrian dies in New York truck accident

A woman died in a truck accident in New York last Monday. 68 year old Nuesa Marques-Diniz was crossing 42nd street between Fifth Ave and Madison Ave, in Manhattan, when she was struck by a truck. The accident occurred around 8:00 pm. The woman was a New York resident from Brazil. The truck belonged to the electrical company Hugh O’Kane Electrical Co. It was transporting two huge spool of wire. The pedestrian was crushed with the front and rear driver-side tires. She died at the scene of the accident. The truck driver stayed at the scene of the accident. He wasn’t charged. Read more in the NY Daily News

Last week Vision Zero launched a campaign to reduce pedestrian accidents after Daylight Saving Time. Recent statistics have shown that the number of pedestrian fatalities increase by 40% during the 3 months that follow Daylight Saving Time. Poorest visibility related to earlier darkness when most New Yorkers are still outside increases the risk of accidents.

The woman had just came out of the Mc Donald and was crossing the street here. Picture: courtesy of Google Map

Published on: November 8, 2016

Pedestrian seriously injured by bicyclist in New York

By GGCRBHS&M

A pedestrian who was crossing the street was struck by a bicyclist on Saturday night. The bicyclist didn’t stop. He sped off leaving behind him a pedestrian seriously injured. The accident happened at the intersection of E. 70th Street and First Ave in the Upper East Side of New York around 8:10 pm. The pedestrian was attempting to cross the street when the bicyclist struck him. Witnesses said they heard his head cracking as it slammed on the asphalt. They also said the man had convulsions. The police haven’t apprehended the cyclist yet. Read more in the NY Daily News

Published on: November 4, 2016

In New York pedestrian fatalities increase by 40% after daylight saving time

By GGCRBHS&M

9 pedestrians were killed in NYC car accidents last year during the 8 days following the end of the Daylight Saving Time. All the victims were between 55 and 88 years old. 6 of the 9 accidents occurred after sunset. According to data collected between 2010 and 2014, the number of pedestrians dying or being severely injured in car accidents increased by 40% during the last 3 months of the year. Statistics also indicate that crashes involving turns are doubling during the colder and darker months of the year.

As Daylight Saving Time ends this week-end, a $1.5 million Vision Zero campaign will be launched this Friday by the mayor’s office to prevent pedestrian deaths during the most dangerous period of the year.

Yesterday Bill de Blasio was joined by Transportation Commissioner Trottenberg, Aging Commissioner Corrado, Commissioner and Chair of the Taxi and Limousine Commission Joshi and NYPD Chief Chan at One Police Plaza to present the new pedestrian safety campaign to the press.

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Published on: October 31, 2016

8 month old pedestrian killed in NYC car accident

By GGCRBHS&M

An infant died in a car accident last week in Queens. 8 month old Navraj Raju was in a stroller pushed by his mother last Thursday morning when he was struck by a van. The mother and the infant were on the sidewalk when the driver of the van backed out of a driveway and hit the stroller. The van driver was unlicensed. The car accident occurred at 92-20 Astoria Boulevard. The picture above shows the location of the accident. It is an area particularly difficult to navigate for pedestrians, especially families. Cars parked in front of the building between the deli and the gas station have to back out onto the sidewalk when leaving their parking space. They have reduced visibility when backing out. Additionally vehicular traffic is constantly crossing the sidewalk to access the gas station.

Astoria Boulevard was identified in 2015 as a Vision Zero priority. The segment of Astoria Boulevard between 80th street and 110th street was identified as a pedestrian crash corridor. It is among the top 10% most dangerous corridors for pedestrians in this particular neighborhood. It is supposed to be re-engineered in the future to make it safer for pedestrians. The proposal from the Department of Transportation to make some specifically dangerous segments of Astoria Boulevard safer can be downloaded here. However despite fixes being identified for Astoria Boulevard in 2015, not enough is being done by the de Blasio administration to quickly implement these changes. Transportation Alternatives organized a stroller protest to ask the Mayor to fulfill his promise to reduce traffic deaths.

Read more about the accident on Streetblog

Published on: October 31, 2016

Hit and run driver critically injures New York pedestrian

By GGCRBHS&M

A woman suffered critical personal injury in a car accident in New York on Sunday morning around 10:30. The 60 year old pedestrian was crossing East 38th Street at the Queens Midtown Tunnel entrance when the accident happened. She was hit by a black SUV and dragged by the car for a block before being dislodged. The SUV driver fled the scene of the accident. The woman was transported to the hospital in critical condition. The police are still looking for the driver.

Picture: accident location courtesy of Google Map

Published on: October 28, 2016

New pedestrian plazas soon to be open on Queens Boulevard

By GGCRBHS&M

Almost 200 people died in car accidents on Queens Boulevard in NYC over the last 15 years. Queens Boulevard is also commonly nicknamed by New York City residents “the boulevard of deaths”. As part of the Vision Zero initiative some parts of this very long corridor are due to be redesigned by the New York City DOT. Another part of Queens Boulevard located in the Biarwoood and Kew Gardens area is also being redesigned as part of the Kew Gardens Interchange Projects undertaken by the New York State Department of Transportation. According to DNA info, 3 pedestrian plazas are being built along Queens Boulevard as part of the project. The enormous project that started in 2010 is supposed to improve pedestrian and motor vehicle mobility on Queens Boulevard. Constructions over the last 6 years greatly inconvenienced he residents. Local community groups such as the Briarwood Action Network hope that the project that will be finished by next spring will finally benefit the community.

According to the Vision Zero map below, since the beginning of the year 13 people were injured in car accidents in the area that is being redesigned by the New York Sate DOT.

Published on: October 17, 2016

Pedestrian killed in NYC car accident

By GGCRBHS&M

A pedestrian was fatally struck by a car in New York City last night. The 79 year old man was crossing the street at the intersection of Northern Boulevard and Prince Street in Flushing, Queens, when he was struck by a SUV. The driver was a 56 year old woman. She stayed at the scene of the accident and wasn’t charged. The pedestrian was transported to the hospital in critical condition. He later died from his injuries according to the NY Daily News.

Northern Boulevard is considered one of the most dangerous arterial roads in New York City. When mayor de Blasio signed 11 Vision Zero bills into law he held his press conference on Northern Boulevard and 61st Street. This is where 8 year old Nashat Nahian (whose family is represented by our firm) was killed by a truck driver on his way to school.

Northern Boulevard is a Vision Zero Priority Corridor. To reduce pedestrian deaths on the Northern Boulevard, the DOT recently presented several safety projects to local community boards such as Northern Blvd – Honeywell St to Broadway Corridor Safety Improvements and the Northern Boulevard – 105 St to 114 St Corridor Safety Improvements.

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Published on: October 6, 2016

Bicyclists and pedestrian deaths on the rise again in New York City

By GGCRBHS&M

25 people died and 5,383 were injured in motor vehicle accidents in New York City last August. During this month, the NYPD recorded a total number of 19,388 traffic accidents. Motor vehicle accidents have been on the rise in New York City over recent years. From 16,729 in August 2013 the number of accidents steadily increased to 17,000 in August 2014 and 18,862 in August 2015. A monthly record was reached last June with 20,362 accidents.

In an attempt to reduce the number of deaths related to these accidents, New York The de Blasio administration launched Vision Zero at the beginning of 2014. Since then, the number of fatal traffic accidents has been on a declining trend despite an increase in the total number of crashes. After reaching a monthly record low of 11 in March 2016, fatal traffic accidents spiked again to 29 last June and 25 last August.

While Vision Zero may have helped in curbing the number of deaths on the road, the number of people injured in motor vehicle accidents in New York City continued to rise over in recent years. In August 2013, 4,846 people were injured in NYC traffic accidents. This number decreased slightly in 2014 to 4,445 before increasing again in August 2015 to 4,737 and reaching almost 6,000 in August 2016.

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Published on: September 27, 2016

28 year old pedestrian killed by hit and run driver in Brooklyn, NYC

By GGCRBHS&M

A pedestrian was fatally hit by a car in NYC on Friday night. 28 year old Francis Perez a Sheepshead Bay resident, stepped out of his house around 8:00 pm. He went to a nearby grocery store. He bought snacks for his son and his girlfriend. On his way back, he crossed Avenue V between Ford and Coyle Street. A car hit him at high speed. He flew in the air. A witness ran and gave him CPR. It wasn’t enough. The ambulance took him to the hospital where died there from his injuries. He left behind his girlfriend, Sandra Mcillwain, and their 8 year old son Francis JR. The police are still looking for the hit and run driver who killed him. Read more in the NY Daily News.

A Google aerial picture of the location of the accident shows that there are several stores and businesses on Avenue V between Coyle Street and Ford Street. It also shows that there are no pedestrian crossings despite commercial activities.

aerial picture of Avenue V

Published on: September 22, 2016

Left Turn Accidents in NYC Scrutinized by the DOT

By GGCRBHS&M

Left turn accidents in New York City kill or severely injure pedestrians and bicyclists 3 times more than right turns. These findings are part of a study focusing on left turn crashes that was recently released by the NYC DOT. As part of Vision Zero, the DOT carefully analyzed 1,105 crash reports over a period of 5 years.

The most dangerous intersections for left turns are those when a vehicle is turning left from a one lane and one way street onto a two way and two lane street wider than 60 feet. When a driver makes a left turn in this type of intersection, his visibility of pedestrians is limited. Additionally, the driver often pressured by traffic behind him, has to find gaps between the incoming traffic and the pedestrians crossing.

The study also found that victims of left turn accidents are mostly pedestrians with a median age of 67. They are most commonly hit by cars, vans or pickup trucks.

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