The rise in pedestrian injuries to about 230 on Staten Island last year—the highest count in seven years—is stirring grave concern with the Richmond County District Attorney’s office. Given that the safety of walking citizens has become a highlight now more than ever, immediate preventive measures need to be taken. While the region’s drivers have always been a focus in order to bolster traffic safety, Richmond County Assistant District Attorney Mark Palladino has identified a concerning trend that he’s labeled as ‘pedestrian error’. This term now seems to have unfortunately made its way into our local lexicon.
The perilous habit refers to pedestrians traversing roads while being absorbed in their phones, or impromptly crossing the streets mid-block, neither inside the crosswalk nor in proximity to it. Pedestrian missteps, proven by the video evidence from the neighbouring regions collected post major collisions by the Vehicular Crimes Unit, could lead to severe consequences. It has become a common observation that the pedestrians are not visible to the drivers until the last moment, raising the propensity for avoidable accidents.
“The sources of these accidents usually turn out to be unanticipated pedestrians from the vehicle’s passenger side, especially during dark hours when visibility is compromised,” Palladino said. “What makes these collisions exasperating for us is the fact that they are completely preventable.”
On examining the vast set of over 980 accidents resulting in injuries on Staten Island in 2024, it was seen that one-third of them were due to driver distraction, with cellular phones being the key culprits. This gives even weightier cause for pedestrians to remain alert. Pedestrians must always stay attentive to their surroundings, even when they are legally crossing, because there is always a risk of being hit.
In the year 2019, an initiative was started titled ‘Look Up! Phone Down!’ urging both drivers and pedestrians to pay less attention to their phones and more to consciousness of their surroundings. While walking, even when the phone is a major distraction, there are other hindrances that might go unnoticed. Like a rather ubiquitous blindspot, particularly with SUVs – the design makes it tough for the driver making a left turn to see a crossing pedestrian on their left.
One hotspot for such mishaps is Hylan Boulevard where many pedestrians, in a hurry to catch buses, take risks and cross mid-block. Such hasty actions can easily escalate to fatal situations. Erecting fences along the medians of Hylan Boulevard is one of the efforts made to discourage pedestrians from such dangerous practices and motivate them to use crosswalks instead.
Hylan Boulevard has been an area of concern when discussing traffic safety for a long time now. It’s intersections have seen a majority of accidents, leading to a grim nickname given by safety professionals – ‘The Boulevard of Death’. Staten Island started to prioritizing pedestrian-safety due to a rising number of deadly accidents involving pedestrians over the years.
“The red and yellow traffic lights are often ignored by people, leading to incredibly risky situations,” said Shane DeSilva, a young man who frequently commutes on Hylan Boulevard. Overall, in 2024 alone, almost 1,000 accidents happened on Staten Island that led to injuries, translating to around three on average per day.
Even though pedestrian injuries had been decreasing in the past years after the Vision Zero initiative was put into effect, the trend seems to have reversed now. With injuries on the rise again, it’s clear that the issue of pedestrian safety is far from resolved. The question is what can be done to curve this trend in the right direction again?
To counter this unsettling trend, authorities are encouraging measures to calm traffic and enhance road safety. Implementations such as speed bumps, stop signs and other traffic control mechanisms are being brought into active discussions. Such methods are a crucial part of the broader solution to combat the volatile situations on the streets.
As has been evidenced, hazardous behaviors on the roads of Staten Island must be addressed promptly for enhanced safety. Addressing both driver and pedestrian responsibility can play a major role in improving the conditions. Both parties must be attentive and compliant with road laws to ensure their safety and the safety of others who share the roads.
Overall, the key to revamping the safety situation on Staten Island is a coalition of driver attentiveness, pedestrian awareness, and effective traffic control measures. Reflecting on past accidents and understanding the common causes can guide the methods for enhancement. It’s crucial that this matter receives the urgency and dedicated efforts it deserves, from both the legal and public perspectives.
The spotlight on ‘pedestrian error’ is not to blame the victims, rather it emphasizes the role everyone has to play in preventing accidents. Each casual stroll, each drive on the boulevard should not be a risk, but a safe, standard part of the day. Through stricter adherence to traffic rules, cautious behaviour, and appropriate use of safety measures, the roads of Staten Island could become far safer for everyone.
The post Stirring Concern: Pedestrian Injuries Soar on Staten Island appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
