For many of those who go to take their first driving test, posted speed limits might seem to be pretty straightforward. But experts who really deal with traffic safety, such as local New York City personal injury lawyers, understand that there’s a lot more in play than just a posted speed limit or even a general “10 miles over” rule that so many drivers use to stay relatively safe from ticketing and citations. In fact, what’s legal is the posted speed limit — but even law enforcement professionals understand that the flow of traffic is often significantly higher than what is posted.
This sets up a challenging atmosphere in which detailed approaches to safety battle the habits, understandings and routines of average drivers. This issue becomes even thornier when changes to traffic speed limits occur where speed limits in specific places are lowered, which can “disrupt” the usual traffic routine in those areas.
25 Mph in Brooklyn
Reports from the Brooklyn Community Board show that some New York City neighborhoods in the Brooklyn borough lowered speed limits to 25 miles an hour at the end of 2014. A posting from the board’s web site provides an estimate that speeding causes up to 25 percent of all traffic fatalities in New York City, and that reducing vehicle speed from 30 mph down to 25 mph will double a pedestrian’s chances of survival in a collision. This research also shows that speed limit controls are part of a concerted effort by the administration of new Mayor Bill de Blasio.
However, these types of reports showing municipalities lowering speed limits is an excellent example of the difference between what gets done in boardrooms and municipal governments and what happens out on the street. Without adequate law enforcement, posted speed limit changes may not have an impact on traffic speeds. In other cases, they may result in much more enforcement including new fines and ticketing.
Professional injury lawyers understand the realities of traffic safety in a local community and weigh all of those realities with the well-being of their clients. All of the injury lawyer’s expertise and knowledge comes to bear on one central goal — to fully represent their clients in a court of law and promote their welfare to judges and other legal professionals. The personal injury lawyer has a duty to use all of the necessary research and fact-finding to support his or her client’s claim to compensation for injuries that will impact family finances.
If you or a family member has been harmed in an auto accident in or around the five boroughs, contact the New York City motor vehicle accident law firm Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff. Our experienced injury attorneys will give you all of the guidance and resources you need to build a personal injury claim, and see your case through local courts.
