New York Injury Lawyer Blog

With the start of the school year comes the increased risk for New York City school bus accidents or bicycle and pedestrian accidents involving students.

Our New York City injury lawyers encourage parents to speak with their children about school bus safety as well as pedestrian and bicycle safety. Thankfully, school buses usually do a good job of transporting children to and from school in a safe manner. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports an average of just 19 school bus fatalities occur each year in the United States. However, thousands of students are injured or killed each year while traveling to and from school.

Bicycle and pedestrian accidents continue to be a primary concern. In fact, the NHTSA reports more than two-thirds of fatal school bus accidents involve pedestrians getting on or off the bus. And motorists are reminded that the law requires them to stop for a bus with red flashing lights and the stop sign displayed. Only when the lights are turned off and the sign is retracted, are you permitted to pass a school bus.

By remaining patient and doing your part, you can help reduce the risk of traffic accidents involving students as classes resume across New York.

The New York Department of Education reports that all districts are required to conduct three bus safety drills per school year -- one the first week of school, the second in November or December and the third after March 1.

The safety drills include:

-Instruction on location and use of emergency doors, fire extinguishers, first-aid equipment and window escape routes.

-Instructions on how to safely enter and exit the bus.

-Specific instructions for students to move at least 10 feet in front of the bus before crossing and to make eye contact with the driver.

-Training for hazards including ice, rain and snow, poor visibility and reduced hearing.

-The importance of orderly conduct and the rules and regulations of the Board of Education.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides tips on helping your child stay safe while traveling to and from school.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also promotes the "Kids Walk to School" campaign which urges kids to stay safe but to consider walking to and from school as a healthy and environmentally friendly alternative.

Continue reading "Students at increased risk of school bus accidents, bicycle and pedestrian accidents in New York City as school year begins" »

A New York City bicycle accident is being blamed on police officers who reportedly drove off after stopping long enough to drag the victim to the curb, the Associated Press reported.

The New York Times reports the officer behind the wheel was charged with assault, reckless driving, and leaving the scene of an accident involving injury. Both the officer and his partner have been suspended without pay.

Authorities say the officers were heading the wrong way on Jay Street in Brooklyn, with lights and sirens running, when they drove through a red light and struck the cyclist at Sands Street. The officers reportedly got out of their car, dragged the cyclist to the curb, handed him a tissue and drove off without calling an ambulance or reporting the accident.

The incident was captured on surveillance cameras. The cyclist suffered cuts and bruises on his face as well as a fractured wrist. He was treated and released at Long Island College Hospital.

The incident comes in the wake of strained relationships between police and cyclists after several videos have surfaced showing officers shoving riders to the ground during several group rides in recent years.

As our New York Injury Lawyer Blog reported, the number of fatal bicycle accidents in the city has declined dramatically as officials work to increase bike lanes and take other steps to make the New York City area more bike friendly. However, serious injuries resulting from bicycle accidents continue to be of concern to safety advocates.

Nationwide, a total of 716 riders were killed and more than 52,000 were injured in bicycle accidents in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Continue reading "New York City bicycle accident blamed on hit-and-run police officers " »

The number of fatal New York City car accidents dropped last year as the overall number of traffic fatalities hit the lowest number ever recorded, the city's Department of Transportation reported.

While safety experts cite the economic downturn as being partly responsible for the drop, the city's figures are expected to mirror national figures that will be released in coming days by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A total of 256 traffic fatalities were reported in New York City during 2009, a 12 percent decline from 2008 and 35 percent fewer than in 2001.

"Even one traffic fatality is one too many, but our aggressive efforts to improve traffic safety have produced life-savings results - an all-time record low for fatalities in 2009," said Mayor Bloomberg. "While traffic deaths are down 35 percent from 2001 levels, we have more work do to, and we will continue pressing forward with better traffic engineering, stricter traffic enforcement and greater public awareness about traffic safety. Our goal is very simple: continue making our streets safer for everyone."

Fatal New York City pedestrian accidents increased to 155 from the 151 recorded in 2008. Pedestrian accident continue to concern safety advocates as they account for more than half of all traffic fatalities in the city. As we reported on our New York Injury Lawyer Blog, the city is creating a number of pedestrian plazas in an effort to reduce the risk to pedestrians.

New York City bicycle accidents declined dramatically, from 26 in 2008 to 12 in 2009. Expansion of the city's biking infrastructure, which has doubled bike-lane miles to more than 225, is being cited as the primary factor. The reduction in fatal bicycle accidents is a significant accomplishment. The twelve fatalities is one fewer than the 13 recorded in 2001 and the city has tripled the number of cyclists on its streets in the last decade.

Continue reading "New York City pedestrian accidents rise as number of fatal car accidents reach record lows " »

May is Bike Month and Motorcycle Awareness Month, as motorists are reminded to practice safe driving habits in an effort to reduce New York City bicycle accidents and New York motorcycle accidents.

Spring is a dangerous time for riders. As the weather improves and new riders take to the streets, motorists are reminded to look twice and save a life. A total of 177 riders died in New York motorcycle accidents in 2008. Last month, we published safety tips for motorcycle riders and motorists on our New York Injury Lawyer Blog.

Forty-two cyclists were killed in New York bicycle accidents in 2008. More than 200 riders have been killed in New York City bicycle accidents in the last decade.

New York City reports cycling has increased 66 percent over the past two years as plans continue to expand cycling infrastructure to 200-miles of bike lanes across all five boroughs. The New York City Department of Transportation is challenging riders to bike 10 million miles this month as part of its "Live Here. Bike Here." campaign.

Tips for Bike Commuters

-Ride with a Buddy

-Keep clear of car doors

-Stay alert at intersections

-Use hand signals

Rules of the Road

-Pedestrians always have the right of way

-Leave crosswalks free an clear for safe walking

-Claim a lane on the street (not the sidewalk)

-Ride right

-Obey red lights

-Use front and rear lights

-Use a bell

-Wear a helmet

Continue reading "May is Awareness Month as authorities push to reduce New York City bicycle accidents, New York motorcycle accidents" »

Spring is a time to renew our commitment to watching out for bicyclists and pedestrians. The city's expanded cycling program has nearly doubled the number of bicycles on the road. And bicycle and pedestrian accidents in New York City claim an average of 200 lives a year.

The New York City Department of Transportation reports cycling has increased by more than 66 percent over the past two years as the city has worked to expand its cycling infrastructure and reduce congestion.

Last year's improvements included 30 miles of new bike trails, representing completion of the 3-year plan to build 200 bike-lane miles across all five boroughs. The project expands the city's cycling infrastructure to a total of 620 lane miles and more than 8,700 bicycle racks.

Additionally, a new law requires commercial building owners to provide cyclists with secure parking in or near their workplaces.

Staying safe requires a partnership among motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. A total of 23 people were killed in New York City bicycle accidents in 2008, according to the New York City Department of Health.

Rules of the Road:
-Cyclists must obey all traffic lights and signals
-Cyclists should yield to pedestrians
-Bicycles are not permitted to be ridden on the sidewalk
-Cyclists must ride with the direction of traffic
-Use lights at night; white front lights, red tail lights and a bell are required by law
-Wear a helmet
-Avoid being caught on the inside of a turning car
-Stay visible and do not weave in and out of traffic
-Look, signal and look again
-Watch for opening car doors

Continue reading "New York City bicycle accidents likely to rise with increased use of expanded bike trails" »

Cycling advocates staged an event last week seeking to reduce the number of serious and fatal New York City bicycle accidents, according to the New York Times.

Members of the Bureau Of Organized Bikelane Safety, which is a part of New York City-based not-for-profit direct-action environmental group Times Up!, staged a street theater event aimed at reducing the number of motor vehicles that continue to block the bike paths throughout New York City.

The team members started at Madison Square Park, and pedaled through the midtown bike lanes, telling the guilty offenders that they were illegally blocking the city bike lanes, and asking them to move their vehicles. It was a part of the group's "Love Your Lane" educational campaign designed to remind motorists about the dangers of accidents involving bicyclists and motor vehicles.

To draw attention to the importance of safe bike paths in the city, some of the riders and their supporters wore biohazard suits and gas masks, clown costumes and traffic cone hats. As they handed out "citations" to the lane blockers, they placed safety cones around the vehicles and staged mock accident scenes. The performance art aspect was deliberate, and aimed at creating a buzz around the scofflaws who continually block the paths and create the potential for a serious bicyclist accident.

The group deemed their efforts a success - all of the offending drivers moved when they were asked, except for the driver of a cement truck who claimed he had no where else to park.

A 2006 study of fatal bike accidents in New York City revealed that most deaths were caused by head injuries, and 97 percent of those were to cyclists not wearing a helmet. The city has handed out 10,000 free helmets and now requires deliverymen and messengers to wear helmets while on the job.

A 2006 joint report conducted by the New York City Departments of Health and Mental Hygiene, Parks and Recreation, Transportation, and the New York City Police Department uncovered some important facts that make the organization's ride such a worthwhile effort. The study found that bicycle lanes and properly used bicycle equipment may reduce the risk of fatalities.

Between 1996 and 2005, 225 bicyclists died in New York City bicycle accidents.

Continue reading "Clearing The Path for Bicycle Safety; group seeks reduction in New York City bicycle accidents" »

More than 1,500 people died accidental deaths in New York City during 2008, according to the Summary of Vital Statistics, recently released by New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and reported by The New York Times.

Infant deaths: New York City's infant mortality rate was 5.5 infant deaths per 1,000 live births -- down 20 percent from the 6,9 per 1,000 births recorded in 1999.

Surgical or medical error: 59 deaths were reported as a result of complications of surgical or medical care.

Work accidents: 90 people died as a result of occupational injuries, including:
- 10 in transportation accidents
- 26 as a result of violence in the workplace
- 29 in falls
- 31 work fatalities were attributed to construction accidents
- 3 fatal taxicab accidents
-2 deaths involving police or fire protection

A total of 1,651 deaths were classified as accidents and included:
- 299 deaths involving traffic accidents
- 171 pedestrian deaths
- 23 deaths involving bicyclists
- 14 deaths involving railway or subway accidents
- 388 deaths involving fatal falls
- 8 drowning deaths

Subtitled "The Conquest of Pestilence in New York City," the reported noted accidental deaths have declined by 8.8 percent in the last decade. But the rate of accidental deaths has not declined nearly as fast as other deaths, including homicide, which declined 17.5 percent during the same period.

Continue reading "More than 1,500 accidental deaths recorded in New York City during 2008" »

City officials are moving forward with a plan to keep Broadway permanently closed to traffic in Herald Square and Times Square. The announcement will leave in place the pedestrian plazas created last year to improve traffic flow and reduce New York City pedestrian accidents and other traffic accidents.

"After an exhaustive review that showed positive results in all aspects, and overwhelming improvement in many areas, we've decided to make this groundbreaking pilot project permanent," said Mayor Bloomberg.

While the eight-month closure had caused headaches for some drivers, the closure has received positive reviews from tourists and pedestrians, the New York Post reported.

The city's Department of Transportation reported "greatly enhanced safety" and a reduction in the risk of car accidents at two of the city's most accident-prone intersections. However, an increased risk of New York City taxi cab accidents is possible, after the city found taxi speeds have increased 7 percent in Midtown since the closures.

GPS data from 1.1 million taxi cab trips found a 7 percent increase in overall speeds, including a 17 percent increase in northbound travel speeds.

But safety at Times Square and Herald Square improved dramatically, according to city figures. The closures resulted in a 63 percent reduction in New York City car accidents at both locations and a 35 percent reduction in pedestrian injuries.

A survey found that three-quarters of New Yorkers favored making the closures permanent, while about 7 in 10 retail managers also favored the move.

"Surveys indicate clear support among New Yorkers and local businesses for the project, and the increased foot traffic has been good for business," Bloomberg said. "The bottom line is overall traffic in Midtown has improved and New Yorkers and city businesses are benefiting from a Times and Herald Square that are safer, more exciting destinations."

Continue reading "Square closures reduce New York City pedestrian accidents, car accidents" »

New York City pedestrian accidents increased last year, even as overall traffic accidents declined, The New York Times reported.

The 256 New York City traffic fatalities were an all-time low, according to Mayor Michael Bloomberg -- a record dating to 1910 when deaths by streetcar and carriage-horse were included in the city's traffic deaths.

Overall traffic deaths were down 12 percent compared to 2008 and were 35 percent lower than the beginning of the decade. However, 155 New York City pedestrians were struck and killed by cars last year, up from 151 deaths in 2008.

New York City bicycle accidents claimed 12 lives last year, down more than half from the 26 bicyclists killed in 2008.

A total of 61 drivers and passengers were killed in New York City car accidents in 2009, down 20 percent from 2008, according to a report issued by the city's Department of Transportation.

"Even one traffic fatality is one too many, but our aggressive efforts to improve traffic safety have produced life-savings results - an all-time record low for fatalities in 2009," Bloomberg said in a statement. "Our goal is very simple: continue making our streets safer for everyone."

Continue reading "New York City pedestrian accidents on the rise, car accidents, bicycle accidents decline" »

An increase of more than 3 million travelers is expected this holiday season, according to a CNN report of a survey taken by the American Automobile Association.

The New York City car accident lawyers at Queller, Fisher, Washor, Fuchs & Kool urge motorists to allow plenty of time for weather and heavy traffic, especially when traveling in an unfamiliar area.

Earlier this month, we posted tips for safe winter driving on our New York Injury Lawyer blog.

Also, keep in mind that vehicles involved in New York City pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents are responsible for a substantial number of traffic fatalities within the city.

Holiday travel is expected to jump 3.8% compared to last year, an increase of more than 3 million travelers compared to the 2008 season, AAA said.

Experts pin the increase in travel on an improving economy and a strong desire by many to put economic worries behind them, if only for a few days with friends and family.

"High unemployment and reduced discretionary income will continue to keep some would-be travelers at home, but this year many consumers appear to be focused on controlling costs rather than scrapping trips," said the AAA, in its report.

A total of 87.7 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home during the 12-day period from Dec. 23 to Jan. 3, up from 84.5 million in 2008, according to AAA.

The vast majority -- about 88% -- will drive, while 5% will fly and the remainder will travel by other means, including train and bus.

Continue reading "Holiday travel brings increased risk of New York City car accidents" »

The number of New York City bicycle and pedestrian fatalities increased last year and now account for nearly 2 of every 3 traffic fatalities in the city, according to this month's release of the annual Mayor's Management Report.

Overall, the report highlighted an 8 percent reduction in traffic fatalities for fiscal year 2009 but noted the increase in bicycle and pedestrian fatalities to more than 60 percent of all city traffic deaths, compared to about half in 2005.

The New York bicycle accident lawyers and pedestrian accident attorneys at Queller, Fisher, Washor, Fuchs & Kool, have a long record of fighting for the rights of bicyclists and pedestrians who are seriously injured or killed by negligent drivers in traffic crashes.

Of the 276 traffic deaths reported in the mayor's fiscal 2009 report, 178 pedestrian and bicyclists were killed, compared to 98 motorists.

And, while total traffic crashes decliend from 182,801 in 2007 to 177,909 in fiscal 2009, that is still higher than the number of accidents reported in 2005, 2006 or 2007.

The Mayor's Management Report also reported the city's response to unsafe or inoperable street signs and traffic signals as well as the condition of New York City's bridges.

The amount of time the city took to fix unsafe conditions caused by malfunctioning traffic signals increased slightly to 4.3 hours, compared to 4 hours last year. It took an average of 1.6 days to repair faulty street signs deemed a safety priority.

And almost 60 percent of the city's bridges were in fair condition, while only 40 percent were reported as being in good or very good condition.

The report also noted that the city resurfaced more than 1,000 miles of road and increased to 70 percent the number of streets it considers in good condition.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured or killed in a traffic accident, or because of a faulty road or faulty traffic signal, the New York personal injury lawyers and wrongful death attorneys at Queller, Fisher, Washor, Fuchs & Kool offer free appointments to discuss your rights. Call (212) 406-1700.

The number of New Yorkers commuting by bicycling jumped 35 percent in the last year, according to the New York City Department of Transportation.

New York bicycle accident lawyers at Queller, Fisher, Washor, Fuchs & Kool continue to see an increase in the number of serious bicycle accidents throughout the city as more riders bike for economic reasons or to take advantage of the city's more than 200 miles of bike lanes.

Rising gas prices, a poor economy and the city's three-year effort to promote bicycling is adding thousands of bicycles to the streets of New York. To increase safety awareness, the city has rolled out a pilot project of high-visibility green bicycle lanes, installed more than 1,000 bike-lane signs, handed out 680,000 free bike maps and provided more than 23,000 NYC bike helmets free of charge.

Transportation officials estimate more than 30,000 bicyclists per day take to the streets of New York. Since 2006, the city has nearly doubled bike-lane miles in all five boroughs, added 20 sheltered bike-parking structures and installed 6,100 bike racks even as the number of commuters using bicycles grew by 45 percent during that time.

"With the completion of this initiative, we can now state firmly that New York City is the bicycling capital of the United States," said Commissioner Sadik-Khan "This two-hundred mile growth spurt has transformed our bike network into a robust transportation system, a true backbone that connects the City's neighborhoods and helps get cyclists to their destinations safely."

Still, a 10-year study found more than 200 people were killed and almost 3,500 seriously injured in New York City bicycle accidents.

And the dangers of bicycling are more prevalent here than anywhere in America -- 11 percent of New Yorkers ride their bikes to and from work, compared to less than three percent nationwide.

- Nine of 10 crashes occurred at intersections.

- Trucks and buses, which account for only about 10 percent of the city's traffic, were responsible for 1 in 3 bicycle fatalities.

- Almost all of the fatalities involved poor driving, including driver inattention and disregarding traffic signals and signs.

New York cyclists have a right to share the road responsibly. When they are seriously injured or killed by a negligent driver, they and their families have a right to be compensated for their injury or loss.

The learn more about what you can do as a bicyclist or motorist to promote safety and avoid serious of fatal accidents, visit the LOOK Campaign, provided by the New York City Bicycle Safety Coalition.

Continue reading "New York bicycle accident lawyers promote safe riding" »