NYC Drivers Injured 1,083 Pedestrians and Cyclists in March, and Killed 12
Sixteen people died in New York City traffic in March, and 4,073 were injured, according to City Hall’s Vision Zero View crash data map.
City Hall reported 32 pedestrians and cyclists killed by city motorists through March, and 3,283 injured, compared to 34 deaths and 3,477 injuries in the first three months of 2016.
Four motor vehicle occupants died in the city in March, according to City Hall, and 2,990 were injured.
Citywide, 11 pedestrians and one cyclist were fatally struck by drivers last month. Among the victims were Joseph Ranieri, Carmen Velez, Ping Xie, Jacob Bavdaz, Danielle Leathers, Skylar Perkins, an unnamed male pedestrian in Manhattan, and two unnamed female pedestrians in Brooklyn.
Motorists killed six seniors and one child in March: Skylar Perkins, 1; Joseph Ranieri, 70; Carmen Velez, 81; Ping Xie, 81; Jacob Bavdaz, 84; the unnamed male pedestrian in Manhattan, 87; and an unnamed female pedestrian in Brooklyn, 81.
Across the city, 879 pedestrians and 204 cyclists were reported hurt in collisions with motor vehicles. Per NYPD policy, few of these crashes were investigated by trained officers.
Of nine fatal crashes on surface streets reported by Streetsblog and other outlets, six victims were known or believed to have been walking with the right of way. Three motorists were known to have been charged for causing a death. In four cases, NYPD blamed the victim in the press.
The driver of a pickup truck ran over Skylar Perkins’ stroller as her mother pushed her across the street. The driver was charged with a Right of Way Law violation.
A motorist hit Joseph Ranieri head-on on a street where mid-block crossings are legal. Police filed no charges against the driver.
NYPD said an unidentified 87-year-old man killed by a yellow cab driver in Manhattan was “jaywalking.” Since police filed no charges, the cabbie faces no sanctions from the Taxi and Limousine Commission for killing someone.
After turning drivers killed Jacob Bavdaz and an unidentified 81-year-old woman in separate crashes in the Bronx and Brooklyn, respectively, police said the elderly victims were outside the crosswalk. No charges were filed in either case.
When Danielle Leathers was hit with enough force to sever her legs, NYPD defended the truck driver who killed her, telling the media the victim was crossing against the light. Local residents told News 12 they fear for their lives crossing Bruckner Boulevard where Leathers was struck.
Historically, nearly half of motorists who kill a New York City pedestrian or cyclist do not receive so much as a citation for careless driving.
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