Everyone knows the iconic image of a jam-packed Time Square in the heart of New York City, stacked with traffic and pedestrians maneuvering between the automobiles.  Now, try to imagine it with nearly a third of those vehicles gone.

Pretty crazy, right?  Well, the New York Times reports that thanks to the efforts of NYC’s mayor, Michael Bloomberg, a part time expirement that banned cars from driving along two parts of Broadway might turn into a permanent fixture that could lower pedestrian accidents in the Big Apple’s busiest district.

NYC’s Time Square’s grand experiment: less cars, more room for pedestrians. Could this work elsewhere? (Source: NYTimes.com)

The pedestrian accident attorneys at our firm know the pain and suffering that comes from getting hit by a car while walking down the street.  Perhaps this Broadway-closure experiment will be a model for less wrongful deaths caused by pedestrian accidents.

The Bloomberg model tries to work on several levels.  First, drivers should be able to travel down Seventh Avenue, from 59th to 23rd Street, in up to 17% less travel time, thus eliminating traffic jams and reducing road rage incidents (for those on feet and in cars) where it intersects with Broadway.  It also frees up space for pedestrians to walk on.  Drivers will also benefit by not having to wait at traffic lights for long periods of time.  Since running red lights is a common cause of car accidents in Time Square, pedestrian safety is improved in that aspect.

Skeptics of the program exist, but the positives seem to be outweighing the negatives, and pretty soon more cities across America could implement this model that cuts down on serious personal injuries and fatalities.  Just imagine the impact on traffic accident statistics in San Diego if there were more walkways for pedestrians — less cars on the road, less accidents that require medical treatment, and a significant drop in the lives lost while traveling from one destination to the next.  But New York City is a metropolitan location who’s main mode of transportation involves public subways and walking everywhere.  Could it work in a city, such as San Diego, where people love to drive in their cars and commuters spend on average close to 1-2 hours a day sitting in traffic?

Our firm’s pedestrian accident attorneys do not know, because what works for New York might not help San Diego in the same way.  All that can be said is that if traffic is reduced and pedestrians are safer then it cannot be a completely bad idea.

If you were injured and believe that you deserve compensation, then call our bilingual law offices right away at 1-858-551-2090 or click here for a free consultation with an experienced pedestrian accident attorney and find out how we can help you.  We look forward to providing good advice for your case.  There is no fee if no recovery.