NYC’s “mean streets” just got a little nicer: 2014 saw the fewest pedestrian deaths in a century

Pedestrian deaths in NYC were at an all-time low in 2014. That year, the city saw the fewest fatal pedestrian accidents (132) since they started keeping track one hundred years ago.

Overall traffic fatalities fell from 293 to 248.

Such a drop seems incredible, particularly for a city with as much vehicle and pedestrian traffic as New York. So, how did they accomplish this? It is due in part to a mission implemented by Mayor Bill de Blasio and the NYPD called “Vision Zero,” an ambitious plan aimed at eliminating traffic fatalities in New York.  The plan involved lowering the speed limit and stepping up law enforcement. The city reduced speed limits from 30mph to 25mph, and increased the number of tickets issued for failing to yield to pedestrians by 126%.  The Taxi and Limousine Commission also issued thousands more for safety-related violations.

The change comes in response to a community who had evidently had enough. The number of people struck and killed by cars in New York City had been steadily rising for years.  According to the NYPD, there were 156 pedestrian deaths in 2013, an increase from 152 in 2012 and 142 in 2011.

One bill passed by the City Council, “Cooper's Law,” was inspired by a 9-year-old boy who was struck and killed by a taxi in January, 2014. The bill allows the city to suspend or revoke the license of a taxi driver who kills or seriously injures a pedestrian who has the right of way.  City Controller Scott Stringer described Cooper's death as “the last straw.”

It is encouraging to see that the changes made by the city of New York have actually yielded positive results. As personal injury lawyers, we have seen the kind of trauma and devastation wrought by pedestrian accidents, many of which are preventable. It is our hope that New York City's apparent success in their endeavor to reduce the number of traffic deaths will serve as an example to other communities across the country, and that this decrease may become a national trend.

“If you or a loved one have been injured as pedestrians in a traffic accident, our firm can help you to secure the compensation you are owed for your suffering. Contact us to arrange a free consultation with an attorney who will help you determine the next legal steps to take.” –  Attorney Dan Munley

We can be reached at 855-866-5529.