Back-to-back collisions involving pedestrians and motor vehicles last week have forced Albany police to re-examine their enforcement pedestrian safety standards and remind motorists to yield the right-of-way to people walking.
Last week one person in Albany was killed and another seriously injured after two separate collisions.
New York state does not have a jaywalking law, so pedestrians are legally permitted to step off the curb into the street any where they choose. However, just because a pedestrian steps into the street does not mean that vehicles driving on the street can legally run them over. In fact, drivers are legally required to have complete and total control of their vehicle at all times. That means they must avoid obstacles when possible, and especially if that obstacle is a pedestrian.
Albany police have increased patrols in the busy intersections where the two vehicle collisions occurred, in an effort to heighten awareness. Increased patrols alone won’t be enough to keep all pedestrians safe at all times but it might perhaps shift the focus from tragedy to something more constructive, like keeping more pedestrians safe from drivers, and keep more drivers safe from a lifetime of guilt because they struck and killed someone who was out for a leisurely walk.
The post Albany Police Focus On Pedestrian Safety appeared first on MyImprov.