Trends in Pedestrian Fatalities
After hearing about Robert Novak's accident this past week when his Corvette (with the top down) struck a pedestrian, we thought that it would be interesting to note some of the statistics contained in last month's National Pedestrian Crash Report released by the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The report analyzed trends in pedestrian fatalities and police-reported motor vehicle crashes involving a pedesrian in the United States between 1997 and 2006. Pedestrian fatalities declined slowly between 1997 and 2006. However, while the probability of a pedestrian crash declined, the probability of a pedestrian fatality in a crash increased. The percentage of total crash fatalities that involved pedestrian deaths dropped to 11 percent in 2006 from 13 percent in 1997. Some more specific statistics possibly worth pondering: - The two days of the year having the highest number of pedestrian fatalities: January 1 and October 31. - The hours between which pedestrians are more likely to be killed in a crash: 3 A.M. and 6 A.M. - Three-hour span between which most pedestrians are killed in a crash: 6 P.M. and 9 P.M. - The days of the week on which pedestrians are more likely to be killed in a crash: during the weekend on Saturday or Sunday. - The gender having a much higher probability to be killed in a crashMales. - Surprisinly, pedestrians have a higher possibility to be killed in non-speeding conditions than in speeding conditions based on fatality per crash. - The weather condition in which pedestrians are more likely to be killed in a crash than under any other weather condition based on fatality per crash: Sleet. - Type of crashes on roadways making up an overwhelming majority of pedestrian deaths: Single-vehicle crashes. - States with more pedestrian deaths than any others: California, Florida, and Texas; Based on the pedestrian death percentages as a proportion of total pedestrian fatalities: the cities of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix, and Houston. - State with the highest pedestrian death rate per capita: New Mexico. - State with the lowest pedestrian death rate per capita: New Hampshire. - Season with the most deadly season for pedestrian fatalities: Autumn. - Average number of pedestrians killed each day in vehicle crashes: 13, or one pedestrian every 107 minutes. - Percentage of pedestrian fatalities alcohol-involved: nearly 46 percent. - Percentage of pedestrians killed killed in hit-and-run motor vehicle crashes: 20 percent. This past February, this blog reviewed New York Citys final 2007 traffic fatality data, which showed that fatalities from motor vehicle accidents in New York City dropped to the lowest level since records started being kept in 1910: 271 traffic fatalities citywide, down more than 30% since 2001. The lawyers at Levine & Slavit have decades of experience getting results for our clients, including personal injury claims of pedestrians injured by negligently operated motor vehicles. We have offices in Manhattan and Long Island, handling cases in New York City, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and surrounding areas. If you or someone close to you has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact the personal injury lawyers at Levine & Slavit for their help. To learn more, watch our videos.
