Study Identifies Pedestrian Danger Zones

A new study by Transportation Alternatives exposes the ten most dangerous intersections for pedestrians in New York City. The corner of 42 Street and 8 Avenue, in front of the Port Authority Bus Terminal ties with the corner of E 33 Street and Park Avenue (Southbound). At both intersections a pedestrian was hit by a car almost once every month for the past five years, a total of 65 crashes each from January 1989 through August 1994.

Top Ten Most Dangerous New York Intersections

Based upon data from the NYS Department of Transportation-Division of Traffic and Safety

Transportation Alternatives, a 3,500 member NYC pedestrian safety group, is calling on the NYCDOT Commissioner Elliot Sander to act quickly and instruct his engineers to redesign these intersections to be safer for pedestrians.

"There are too many pedestrian death zones in NYC. The City could easily do a lot more to make intersections safer and crack down on dangerous drivers," said Paul Harrison, Transportation Alternatives Campaign Coordinator.

The study also found that pedestrians more often than not had the right of way when they are hit. 30.9 percent of pedestrians who are hit by cars in Manhattan are crossing with the light when they are hit. Compared with the 16.2 percent of pedestrians who are crossing against the light when hit, the findings show that the crosswalk haven is often violated by drivers, with disastrous results.

Pedestrian Accidents in Manhattan -

Action of Pedestrian When Accident Occurred

Analysis by Transportation Alternatives--from data provided by NYS Department of Transportation Division of Traffic Safety

"New York is 'America's Walking City', but we've got to do more to make it safer and easier to cross the street. Traffic is too fast, 'walk' cycles too short and the distance needed to cross the street too far for all but the most nimble and able bodied of us. For seniors, women pushing baby carriages and the young, it's impossible to cross the street safely in New York City," said Harrison.

Transportation Alternatives is calling on the City to redesign intersections and crossing times and to crack down on speeding, lawless cabbies and dangerous drivers. The city should:

Install Neckdowns. Neckdowns make the distance needed to cross shorter and slow turning cars, by extending the sidewalk into the parking lane at the corner.

Post Speed Limit Signs. New York City has fewer than one speed limit sign for every 11 miles of roadway. By comparison, Los Angeles has more than one sign for every half mile of roadway. Earlier this year, Transportation Alternatives offered a $25 bounty to anyone finding a speed limit sign between 60th St and Houston St in Manhattan, not including the FDR Drive or West Side Highway. Only one sign, at E 14 St and Avenue C, was found.

Enforce Traffic Laws. The city should vastly increase the number of its extremely successful red light cameras and institute a Photo Radar program, which catches speeders by taking pictures of their faces and license plates. The NYPD should redouble its efforts to collar unlicensed drivers, and confiscate their cars.

Re-time Signals. By taking another look at dangerous intersections, from a pedestrians first perspective, the DOT can re-time lights and limit vehicle turning movements to make crossing safer.

Appendix: Most Dangerous Intersections, By Borough