Crosswalk Accidents

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 5,987 pedestrian fatalities in 2016, representing a nine percent increase over the previous year. Many pedestrian accidents occur in crosswalks.

If you have been the victim of a crosswalk accident, contact Michael J. Redenburg, Esq. P.C. at 212-240-9465. We handle all our pedestrian accident cases on a contingency fee basis, which means no cost to you until we recover compensation on your behalf.

Why Choose Our Firm?

• Our attorneys have more than fifteen years of experience representing clients in Manhattan and New York City.
• We are committed to protecting your best interests and will not settle your case for less than fair compensation.
• We maintain a smaller caseload, which allows us to give your case the personal attention it deserves.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

NHTSA reports that during the 10-year period from 2007 through 2016, pedestrian fatalities increased by 27%, while all other traffic fatalities decreased by 14%. In 2016, 15 states had pedestrian fatality rates per 100,000 population of 2.0 or higher, as compared to 10 states in 2015 and seven states in 2014. New York had a pedestrian fatality rate of 1.61 per 100,000 population. In the first six months of 2017, our state’s pedestrian fatality rate was 0.58.

How Do Crosswalk Accidents Happen?

Pedestrians are unprotected and vulnerable to serious injuries. Among other contributing factors, crosswalk accidents can be caused by poor design or maintenance of the crosswalk itself or the negligent driving behavior of motorists.

Poor Crosswalk Design and Maintenance

Crosswalks can give pedestrians a false sense of security. Although they are intended to make it safer to cross the street, many crosswalks are poorly designed or improperly maintained. They may be insufficiently marked, or lack stop signs, flashing lights, or other warnings to alert drivers in advance to slow down and yield to pedestrians.

Federal standards now allow more crossing time for pedestrians. However, many cities have failed to adjust crosswalk signal timing accordingly. On larger, multi-lane roadways, this can be a problem for pedestrians with children or people who move slowly.

Intersection design is typically focused more on the flow of traffic than on pedestrian safety. Cities may be slow to implement design modifications to make pedestrians safer in crosswalks.

Negligent Drivers

In addition to poor crosswalk design and maintenance, many crosswalk accidents are caused by drivers of motor vehicles. Negligent drivers may endanger pedestrians using crosswalks in various ways, including:

• Speeding or traveling too fast for the given conditions;
• Failure to signal when turning;
• Failure to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in crosswalks.

Recovering Compensation for Crosswalk Accidents

When a motor vehicle weighing thousands of pounds collides with an unprotected pedestrian, it can cause serious, catastrophic, or even fatal injuries. If you have been hurt in a crosswalk accident that was someone else’s fault, you may be entitled to file a claim for compensation. Damages you may be able to recover include:

• Immediate and long-term medical expenses;
• Lost wages and loss of earning capacity;
• Physical, emotional, and mental pain and suffering.

Contact Us Today

Our personal injury lawyers at Michael J. Redenburg, Esq. P.C. serve Manhattan and the Greater NYC area, representing individuals who have been hurt in traffic accidents through the negligence of others. Contact us today at 212-240-9465 to schedule a consultation if you have been injured in a crosswalk accident. We can tell you if you have a case and what damages you may be able to claim.