According to the New York State Department of Health, there are about 1100 deaths on average every single year due to unintentional automobile accidents. This kills 5.6 out of every 100,000 New Yorkers!
For those motor vehicle related injuries not resulting in casualties, injuries and emergency surgeries are also high. You may not know this, but there are over 12,000 hospitalizations and over 137,000 emergency room visits every year due to motor vehicle accidents, and men aged 20-24 and the 65+ males are the most likely to be in these accidents and to be severely hurt.
These statistics can be scary, and it gets worse as you break down the statistics by the injuries to occupants in vehicles, motorcyclists, pedestrians and bikers. How can you stay safe? Let’s take a look at the different types of vehicular accidents and how you can mitigate the damages.
People Inside the Motor Vehicles
There are about 300 deaths and 6,200 hospitalizations, and 107,000 emergency department visits each year from the occupants of motor vehicles involved in a crash.
What are the most common causes of automobile accidents in NYC?
- Negligence
- Reckless driving
- Careless driving
- Distracted driving (driving while texting, talking on the phone, eating, etc)
- Speeding
- Overtired/fatigued drivers
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Mechanical failure/defective parts
How can you stay safe as an occupant of a motor vehicle?
- As a driver:
- Follow ALL traffic laws and posted signs
- Use turn signals every single time you change lanes or make a turn, so that other drivers are aware of you and your actions
- Wear a seatbelt at all times
- Put your phone out of reach
- Practice defensive driving and awareness of the vehicles around you
- Watch for debris in the road
- Watch for construction
- Know your route
- As a passenger:
- Wear your seatbelt at all times inside of a vehicle
- Do not distract the driver with photos, touching, or annoying them
- Help the driver with watching for construction areas or road debris
- Help the driver be aware of other vehicles, pedestrians, bikers or other people in the vicinity
- Watch for directions or GPS navigation, to help the driver keep their eyes on the road
- Never intentionally distract a person while they are driving a vehicle.
If you are in an automobile accident, whether you are the driver or a passenger, make sure to make a traffic collision report with the police, document the scene, and get insurance information. An auto accident attorney will be able to help you through the process and get you the compensation you deserve.
Motorcyclists
There are approximately 150 deaths, 1,600 hospitalizations, and 4,500 emergency room visits every year involving motorcycle riders who have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, whether it was their fault or someone else’s. These rates are overwhelmingly highest among males ages 15-24.
Motorcycles can be extremely dangerous as they are smaller than the average vehicle and can be missed. Without a large frame around them, motorcycle drivers can come out the worse end when in an accident with a car. Head injuries are the main cause of death for motorcyclists involved in a motor vehicle accident.
Even when all safety precautions are taken, motorcycles can still be in danger from larger vehicles on the road. If you are ever injured in an accident with an automobile, truck, bus, or just from debris or construction in the road, make sure to take photos of the scene and of your injuries, make a police report and request a copy of it, and get immediate medical attention.
Ways to mitigate the risks of a motorcycle accident:
- Wear the best protective gear you can afford, including helmet, boots, goggles, and leather outerwear, which protects your skin from road rash and abrasions.
- Always follow all traffic laws.
- Learn defensive driving techniques to help you better be aware of other vehicles and learn how to predict driver behavior.
- Never, ever drive a motorcycle under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Avoid bad weather and slick/wet surfaces when possible.
- Never ride up the lane lines. This is called lane-splitting and is illegal in New York. It is also incredibly dangerous.
If you were in an accident with a motor vehicle, reach out to a motorcycle accident and personal injury attorney immediately.
Bicyclists
The numbers of injured bicyclists from motor vehicle accidents are not nearly as high as motorists, because their numbers on the street are not as high, but even one is too many! Every year, an average of 36 bicyclists are killed, 640 are hospitalized, and about 3,800 need to go to the emergency department after being in an incident involving a car, bus, taxi, or truck.
When you are involved in a bicycle accident, your first thought may be to get medical help or to run away, but there are certain things you must do in order to make sure you have as much information as possible in case of a lawsuit, including documenting the scene of the accident, getting information from witnesses, and calling the authorities. You’ll also need the insurance information of the vehicle’s driver.
An experienced bicycle accident lawyer will help you to understand your rights and navigate the legal system to get you the compensation you deserve in an accident between an automobile and a bike.
Some of the most common types of injuries in bicycle accidents:
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Road rash
- Sprains, twists, and dislocations
- Whiplash
- Brain injury
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
How to stay safe and prevent bicycle accidents:
- Follow all bicycle-specific and traffic laws! This includes stopping at red lights and yielding when necessary.
- Be aware of parked cars, stay alert and aware
- Know your route and watch for roadway defects or unusual debris
- Make yourself visible and able to be heard by wearing or having reflectors, using a bell, or speaking out loud as you come up near pedestrians, other riders, and cars.
- Signal to other drivers when you are turning by using hand signals.
- Wear a helmet! Helmets have been proven to reduce or prevent head injuries in accidents.
Pedestrians
There are about 312 deaths, 3,000 hospitalizations, and around 12,500 emergency room visits every year due to accidents involving motor vehicles. These numbers remain highest for men over 65 years old.
New York City is a city full of pedestrians. If you or a loved one is injured while walking, it is very important to contact an experienced attorney right away. There are specific rules in place when filing these types of personal injury cases, and you will want us to walk you through the process, as well as deal with your insurance. You may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, damages, lost wages, and more.
If you have been struck by a motor vehicle, you could be seriously or critically injured, and you should make a police report and seek medical attention immediately.
How to stay safe as a pedestrian in NYC:
- Follow all posted signs
- Yield to large multi-ton vehicles. Even when you have the right of way!
- Be aware. Look around you, pay attention to people, vehicles, and signs.
- Put down the phone, take out the headphones! Look around you, pay attention to traffic.
- Don’t jaywalk.
If you or anyone you know has been injured or even killed in a motor vehicle accident, even if they were not in the vehicle, get medical attention and then call The Ashley Law Firm. We will fight for your rights and for compensation for all of your lost wages, medical expenses, physical therapy, pain and suffering, and more.
