A 50-year-old man crossing the street in Flatbush became the 11th pedestrian to be killed in New York City in the last month.
The unnamed pedestrian was killed on Flatbush Avenue near Albemarle Road. According to police, a black Nissan Sentra “mounted the sidewalk” and plowed into the man. First responders arrived quickly to find the pedestrian unconscious and unresponsive. He was promptly transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The 58-year-old male driver and 3-year-old male passenger were also rushed to the hospital.
Police are still trying to determine the cause.
Pedestrian Injuries
Vehicles injure a pedestrian every seven minutes and kill one every two hours. Over 70 percent of such incidents occur in cities, outside crosswalks, and at night. This combination makes New York City one of the most dangerous cities in the country for pedestrians.
Moreover, the problem is getting worse. After a slight decline from 2008 to 2009, the fatality rate has risen steadily and spiked a number of times. Here in New York City, Mayor de Blasio has made an effort to make city streets safer for pedestrians, through design changes to streets and engineering changes to traffic signals. But these alterations do not change the fact that many motorists are not looking out for pedestrians.
These crashes are exempt from the no-fault law due to the serious nature of the injuries involved. Some of the more common ones include:
- Head and Neck: A fast-moving car, “fast” being defined as more than 30 mph, often propels a victim several feet.
- Caught Between: Many victims are pinned underneath a vehicle or trapped between a vehicle and a fixed object, like a utility or light pole.
- Broken Bones: Because of the severe fractures, doctors often need to use metal pins or plates to set the bones; when they finally get out of the hospital, the victims must undergo months of painful and expensive physical therapy.
In addition to serious injuries, these crashes cause significant financial and emotional losses that may linger for years. The law provides the right to fair compensation for all these losses, as well as the imposition of punitive damages, in some cases.
For prompt assistance in this area, contact an experienced personal injury attorney in Manhattan today. Our main office is directly across from Grand Central Station.
