Getting into a car accident seems to be a fact of life for most people. The hope is that if it happens, it will be minor and no one will get seriously injured. Unfortunately, motor vehicle accidents can result in someone’s death all too often. Though safety experts and industry leaders are always working to improve the chances that people can survive a car crash, fatalities still happen. One recent study even found that they may be on the rise in New York City, one of the busiest areas of the entire nation.
The study was conducted by a website that specializes in listings for places to live. It looked at public accident records for last year and assigned rankings to different neighborhoods in New York City depending on the frequency of fatal accidents. The study showed that fatal traffic accidents went up by almost a third in Manhattan. Brooklyn had the highest number of casualties; percentage-wise, its fatality rate went up by 24%. Some areas, such as one Staten Island neighborhood, saw a drop in overall collisions but a rise in fatalities.
A few places experienced a decline, such as Queens, but the data overall still indicated an increase. The study also showed that most collisions happened in the afternoon and in June and July. Researchers hope that this information will educate the public about safety in different neighborhoods they may want to live in.
No matter where one lives, fatal motor vehicle accidents can devastate families. Not only do they have to deal with the emotional loss of someone they love, but they may struggle financially, particularly if the victim was a major financial contributor to a household. Those here in New York in a similar situation may want to pursue a wrongful death claim as a way of holding a responsible party accountable.