New York is a busy state and in the more populated areas, driving can be extremely difficult. According to the New York State Department of Health, the leading cause of injury related death is motor vehicle traffic crashes for residents of the state.  The latest available data shows that motor vehicle accidents led to over 136,000 visits to the emergency department, over 12,000 hospitalizations and close to 1,100 deaths every two years.

The data shows that males and those aged 65 and older are most likely to be in a fatal accident. This number is followed closely by younger residents and drivers aged 20-24. On average, 1.6 of over 100,000 New Yorkers were killed each year from traffic-related injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents.

The Guardian reports that in the first few months of 2019 alone, there were 65 people killed in traffic deaths. At the same time the year before, there were only 50 traffic fatalities. This is a 30% jump from the previous year, and family members of those injured and killed have rallied because they feel these deaths should be treated like a public health crisis or epidemic.

Throughout the nation, pedestrian deaths are rising, hitting a three-decade high in 2018. New York was the first major city in the United States to launch Vision Zero to shift the trend and reduce the deaths of cyclists, drivers and pedestrians. Many feel as if local governments have been slow to fix dangerous areas and are too worried about complaints for changes such as pedestrian islands and bike lanes.

Anyone who has been injured in a car accident or has lost a family member may benefit from speaking to an attorney. Medical bills and property repair costs can soar after an accident and if the accident was the fault of another, there may be cause for a lawsuit.