• 22
  • August
    2010

Last Monday, the New York Department of Transportation released a report detailing the dangers facing the thousands of pedestrians traversing the city's streets every day. As for the most dangerous of dangerous drivers, men, specifically those making left turns, took first.

Other findings, according to The New York Times, taxi drivers are less dangerous than thought and jaywalking pedestrians are not a major cause of traffic accidents, though they are more likely to be seriously injured or killed.

In New York, you're more likely to be hit in a crosswalk, even if you wait for the light. This, it would seem, is where many of the city's dangerous, left-turning male drivers come into play.

The study focused on auto accidents in New York City that occurred between 2002 and 2006 and resulted in either serious injury or death. By offering a comprehensive look at the city's streets over four years of serious accidents, researchers hope that city officials will be able to draft a safer, more effective grid system.

With Mayor Bloomberg already revamping hazardous areas if the city's grid, it seems likely that the study's findings will come into play at some point. In fact, according to The New York Times, city officials are already considering ways in which they might turn some of the data into actionable items.

New York officials are also planning driver awareness measures, including a focus on accidents caused by speeding and inattention. According to the Department of Transportation study, about 36 percent of serious accidents were caused by drivers who were not paying attention to the road.

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