Pedestrian safety has always been an issue in New Jersey and the number of fatal accidents has increased. Pedestrian deaths increased to 165 in 2012 from 143 a year earlier, as NJ.com newspaper website reported.
A 2010 law that requires drivers to stop for pedestrians may have contributed to the rise in pedestrian fatalities. As noted by Cathleen Lewis, director of Public Affairs and Government Relations for AAA of New Jersey, many drivers do not know about the law. But a lot of pedestrians who do know about the law step into the street without looking, assuming the law will protect them from harm.
Both drivers and pedestrians are often distracted by cellphones and other electronic devices, resulting in serious traffic accidents.
This month, NJ.com reported that of all pedestrians, senior citizens are most likely to be struck by a vehicle. People age 60 and older accounted for 31.1 percent of pedestrian fatalities in the state, even though they represent 19 percent of the population. People age 75 and older accounted for 13 percent of pedestrian deaths, even though they make up just 6.5 percent of the state’s population.
A National Problem
In its latest statistics on pedestrian accidents, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 4,280 pedestrians in the U.S. were killed in traffic accidents in 2010. Another 70,000 were injured. Older adults, children and alcohol-impaired drivers and pedestrians were most at risk.
A Governors Highway Safety Association report revealed that nationwide, 12% of those killed in traffic fatalities in 2010 were pedestrians. However, pedestrians accounted for over 20% of traffic deaths in New Jersey, New York, Maryland and the District of Columbia.
To prevent being hit as a pedestrian, return to the lesson you learned as a child: Look both ways before crossing. In addition, stay off electronic devices while crossing busy roads.
Unfortunately, even the most safety-conscious pedestrians may be struck by vehicles. If you have been injured as a pedestrian, you need to learn your legal rights. Contact our New Jersey and New York pedestrian accident lawyers to discuss your legal options. For a free consultation, call (888) GINARTE or use our online form.
Sources:
- CDC: Pedestrian Safety
- GHSA: Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State
- NJ.com: N.J.’s older pedestrians killed at higher rate than younger walkers
- NJ.com: N.J. saw fewer deaths on roadways in 2012, but pedestrian fatalities increased