A study recently released by NYU Langone Medical Center reveals that roughly forty-five percent of pedestrians hospitalized at Bellevue were following pedestrian rules. The timeframe of the study was late 2008 through the middle of 2011.The study found that many cyclists ending up in the emergency room had been hit by cabs. Most of the accidents occurred during business hours, the busiest time of the day.
Of note in the study, fewer than one third of the cyclists were wearing helmets at the time of the accident. It also found that roughly fifteen percent of pedestrians and eleven percent of cyclists had been drinking alcohol prior to the accident. About one out of ten had been on their cell phone or listening to a portable music device.
The results of the study underscore the importance of paying attention while walking or riding a bike around New York City. Accidents can happen, regardless of the level of diligence one takes to follow standard traffic and walking patterns. In a city as large and as busy as New York, pedestrians must always be on the alert for what is going on around them, as not everyone is as quick to follow the rules of the road.
NY1 has a story regarding the study, including quotes from cyclists and pedestrians. The story can be accessed here.
