Brooklyn Municipal Liability Lawyer

Brooklyn Municipal Liability Lawyer

Pedestrian and bicycle deaths on the rise

New York and other states have constantly promoted the idea of walking or biking to work or when doing errands. This is marketed as a healthy alternative to using cars that create pollution. However, the dangers of these simple activities are on the rise.

Nearly one in five deaths

While motor vehicle accidents account for most traffic fatalities, bikers and pedestrians are starting to account for more. In fact, nearly one in five traffic deaths are reported to be bikers or walkers. The number of fatalities is on the rise.

In 2018, over 6,200 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents. That’s been calculated as a 53% increase since 2009. Also, in 2018, there were over 850 cyclist fatalities. That’s a 36% increase since 2009. These numbers are absolutely staggering, and recent statistics aren’t looking much better.

Why are these deaths increasing?

It is perfectly natural to question just why these deaths are on the rise. Just like most increases, there are multiple factors that are contributing to it. First, more people are cycling and walking. With more pedestrians and bikers on the roadway, there are naturally more deaths occurring..

As with many traffic accidents, smartphones are to blame. More pedestrians and drivers are becoming distracted as a result. It only takes a couple of seconds for an accident to occur. Another contributing factor is thought to be the rise in the type of vehicles that people are choosing to drive. Pickups and SUVs are more in use than ever before. With more consumers driving these heavier and bigger vehicles, they are more likely to kill a pedestrian or bicyclist than smaller passenger cars.