Nassau County on Long Island, New York, was found to be one of the most unsafe places in the country for pedestrians ages 60 and older, according to a recent study by the Tri State Transportation Campaign. For this reason, those of Long Island’s older population need a personal injury attorney who can explain and defend their rights in court when the need arises.
The study by the Tri State Transportation Campaign found that 45 percent of the more than 80 pedestrians killed in Nassau County between 2007 and 2009 were 60 years of age or older. Additionally, the researchers revealed that five pedestrians out of every 100,000 people in the area aged 60 and over will be hit by a car and killed. This statistic is more than double the national average for the senior population. On Sunrise Highway and Hempstead Turnpike, which are two of Long Island’s major six-lane highways, the odds are even worse.
To reduce the number of car and pedestrian-related accidents among seniors in Nassau County, safety advocates have begun asking the New York Department of Transportation to push through its plan to expand its Safe Seniors program, which aims to is to make walking common. easier and safer destinations for Long Island’s older population.
Motorists and pedestrians have also been asked to respect traffic regulations and make the roadways safer for all users, including bicyclists and public transportation commuters on Long Island. With a personal injury attorney, car and pedestrian accident victims can get help filing their claims and gathering the evidence needed to support their cases.
Seniors who have been involved in a Long Island car accident should provide their personal injury attorneys with the necessary documents to show that their case has sufficient merit and receive adequate compensation for it. These include damages for medical bills, emotional trauma, and lost wages. Aside from these, attorneys may also collect and examine accident scene photographs, police reports, eyewitness statements, medical records and photographs of the victim’s injuries, and possibly a statement from an accident reconstruction expert. .
Driving and walking can be safer for seniors on Long Island through personal injury attorneys from a law firm ready to provide legal help to those who have been involved in pedestrian and car accidents.