Many New York residents are killed or injured in pedestrian accidents each year, and data from the NHTSA indicates that busy urban streets such as those found in Queens are particularly hazardous for those traveling on foot. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a pedestrian is killed every two hours in the United States, and those over the age of 65 or under the age of 15 have a higher risk of being struck by a motor vehicle while out walking.
The elderly are often frail, and an auto-pedestrian accident that may only injure a younger individual could prove fatal to a senior citizen. Research indicates that alcohol often plays a significant role in these types of accident, and NHTSA data reveals that 34 percent of the pedestrians and 14 percent of the drivers involved had a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or higher at the time.
Measures to reduce the amount of fatal pedestrian accidents take on more significance when demographic trends are taken into consideration. According to data published by the CDC, the number of Americans aged 75 or older will double by 2040. Local authorities have been urged to be more aware of the needs of those traveling on foot when developing traffic plans and to take action to repair dangerous conditions caused by uneven curbs and damaged sidewalks.
While pedestrians can reduce the likelihood of being struck by a car or truck by crossing the street at marked crosswalks and watching traffic closely, they can do little to counter the reckless behavior of distracted, drowsy or intoxicated drivers. A personal injury attorney may bring a lawsuit on behalf of a pedestrian that has suffered an injury due to the negligent actions of others.