Former Traffic Commissioner Sam Schwartz, also known as Gridlock Sam because he coined the term gridlock, believes the following measures would be effective in cutting down the number of pedestrian accidents in New York City.
A 68 year old pedestrian died in a car accident in Maspeth, New York after being struck by a 28 year old SUV driver who was driving without a license. The driver was charged with aggravated driving without a license. The Police said the driver made an illegal left turn onto Grand Avenue from 69th Place when he hit Angela Hurtado, 68, who was crossing Grand Avenue.
Read more about this nyc car accident in the Times Ledger
A sign indicates that left-hand turns are not permitted from 69th Place onto Grand Avenue. Photo by Christina Santucci
A third pedestrian died in a car accident on 96th street yesterday. 26 year old Samantha Lee, an anesthesiology resident at Columbia University Medical Center was crossing mid-block on 96th street between Broadway and West End when she was clipped by the mirror of an Ambulance. She fell on her face and was then run over by another car. She died at the scene of the accident. This is a very dangerous street. One of the problems is that it has two lanes for traffic going both East and West. It crosses Central Park West to the Eastside. It is thus a heavily travelled street. We urge pedestrians to constantly look both East and West when crossing. Also try not to be on your cell phone while crossing. No talking and no texting. Having represented hundreds of pedestrians injured in car accidents we know that the injuries can be severe and even fatal. Be careful out there.
Read more in the New York Post
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio Makes Historic “Vision Zero” Announcement from Streetfilms on Vimeo.
Yesterday Bill de Blasio chose the site where Noshat Nahian, an 8 year old boy was struck by an unlicensed truck driver resulting in his death, to announce the first implementation steps of “Vision Zero” in nyc. Not far away from this location, 3 other young pedestrians died after being struck by cars this winter. Many of the families who lost a loved ones in traffic accidents were present at the event during which Bill de Blasio as well as NYC Police Commissioner Bill Bratton and incoming NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg presented their agenda to reduce pedestrian deaths in NYC to zero.
Being struck by a vehicle is the leading cause of injury related deaths for children younger than 14 in NYC
Bill de Blasio said “There is an epidemic of traffic fatalities in the city and this can’t go on and has to change now”. He also stated that according to statistics by the Department of Health, being struck by a vehicle is the leading cause of injury related deaths for children younger than 14 in the city and the second cause of injury related deaths for senior New Yorkers.
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In New York too many pedestrians suffer personal injury or die in car accidents. These videos from Brooklyn cinematographer Anna Zivarts demonstrate how dangerous it can be for pedestrians to cross the street. Turning cars have the light before and during the pedestrian walk signal. Most drivers fail to yield priority to pedestrians even though the light is green for pedestrians.
A Brooklyn worker died in a car wash accident on Sunday. The accident investigators are still looking for the causes of the accident. A SUV had just come out of the automated rails and the worker was taking car of the detailing when suddenly the car and another vehicle crashed in the street, ejecting the worker and killing him.
After 9 year old Cooper Stock was fatally struck by a cab driver in New York City on Friday Night, many in New York are wondering if cab drivers can kill with impunity as in most accidents the police are allegedly not thoroughly investigating criminal wrongdoing at the scene. According to an article in the New York Post, only one cab driver was criminally charged out of 21 accidents that seriously injured or killed pedestrians or bicyclists.
Read more in New York Post.
4 people were injured in a car accident that happened Sunday night at a Popeye restaurant in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York. The 62 year old driver of the SUV lost control of his car which crashed into the front window of the restaurant. The driver and the passenger as well as two customers were injured. One person was in critical condition, two suffered serious personal injury and one suffered minor injury. The front wall of the restaurant was completely destroyed.
32 year old Nydja Herring died in a drunk driving car accident in NYC this weekend. The accident happened Saturday at 5.30 pm as the mother of the 2 year old twins had just stepped out to run errands for the toddlers at a store nearby. Nydja was crossing the street at the intersection of East Tremont Ave and Van Nest Ave in the Bronx when a drunk driver, 28 year old Augustus Jenkin plowed into her. Jenkins was driving with a suspended license and had 3 passengers in in the car including two children 4 and 10 years old.
After two pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents on the Upper West Side in NYC on Friday night, Scott Stringer said that “Upper West Side pedestrian deaths send a clear message: Time for studying the 96th St traffic corridor is over, NYC needs to take action to prevent fatalities. I look forward to working with the DOT to take all necessary steps to protect road users – pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists alike – and to implement a Vision Zero agenda that makes every street in every borough as safe as it can be. Our City has already had nine traffic-related deaths in 2014, and my heart goes out to the families of last night’s victims.”
Read more in CBS New York
New York Personal Injury Attorneys Blog