On Monday, October 4, 2021, 81-year-old Elizabeth Hyman was crossing the street on the Upper East Side, in the crosswalk at 72nd Street and Third Avenue. As she was crossing, a school bus struck her while making a right-hand turn. Although she was immediately transported to Weill Cornell Medical Center, she could not be saved and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The school bus driver, a 57-year-old man who has yet to be identified, remained at the scene of the accident. No charges have been filed yet, and the crash is still being investigated by the NYPD Collision Investigation Squad.
We send our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Ms. Hyman.
Unfortunately, these kinds of accidents are all too common. Specifically in New York, a 68-year-old woman was fatally struck by an MTA bus while crossing the street just last month, and this past July, a 70-year-old woman was fatally struck when a truck backed into her. On a broader scale, 6,205 pedestrians died in 2019 as a result of traffic crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). These accidents are unacceptable; no pedestrian should feel at risk while walking the streets.
Whether you are a pedestrian or a driver, it is necessary to not only know and follow the rules of the road, but take extra precautions to keep yourself and those that you share the road with safe. The NHTSA recommends some ways that drivers can keep pedestrians safe and avoid accidents:
- Look out for pedestrians at all times.
- Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks (it is important to note that this is also a New York law: pedestrians have the right of way in all crosswalks).
- Slow down when turning or when entering a crosswalk
- Do not pass other vehicles stopped at a crosswalk, as there could be pedestrians you cannot see crossing in front of the stopped vehicle
Pedestrian safety should not be taken lightly. Safety is a shared responsibility, but as pedestrians are much less protected than drivers are on the road, drivers generally have an extra responsibility to make sure they are watching out for people walking and crossing the street.
If you or a loved one has been seriously or fatally injured after being struck by a vehicle or involved in another accident on the street, call the pedestrian accident lawyers at Block O’Toole & Murphy. Our expert attorneys have years of experience handling these kinds of cases and are ready to help you get the compensation and justice you deserve. Select results include:
- A record-breaking $32,756,156 verdict for a pedestrian who was struck by an impaired, reckless driver while trying to help others involved in an unrelated car accident
- A record-breaking $13,500,000 settlement for a young woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury, among other serious injuries, after being struck by a van while walking home
- $12,000,000 settlement for a 5-year-old child who was struck by a vehicle while standing on the sidewalk
Dial 212-736-5300 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with an attorney today.