What happens when public transit options lead to injury or death?

New York City has a world-famous public transportation system. There are multiple public transit options ranging from buses is subway trains that run on a frequent schedule, helping people to travel all over the city without their own vehicles.  

Thousands of people get to work, the store or social events using public transit in New York every single day. Almost all of them do so with no complications. However, anywhere there are lots of people and vehicles, there is always the risk of injury or death. How frequently do public transportation incidents lead to tragic outcomes? 

Just the subway causes dozens of injuries and deaths each year  

In 2020, there were at least 158 people struck by subway trains in New York. At least 58 of those people died. That may be lower than the 62 people who died in subway incidents in 2019, but it’s still far too high.  

Subway incidents are relatively easy to track because they occur in a contained environment. The same is not true for bus incidents. A bus driver could clip a cyclist, hit a pedestrian or smash into a vehicle and not even realize anything happened. If they don’t file a report, there may not be an official record of the incident. 

Buses are also at higher risk for more dramatic and dangerous situations. In subway incidents, falling or getting pushed onto the tracks is a common issue. All kinds of things can go wrong when driving, such as a bus going over the edge of a bridge.  

What happens after someone gets hurt or dies because of public transportation?   

There are insurance policies that can reimburse individuals who get hurt while boarding subway trains or crossing paths with a New York City bus. The same policies can also compensate those who lose loved ones because of public transportation incidents.  

Sometimes, when there is a third party at fault for the incident or a situation involving gross negligence, the affected individuals may need to consider filing a personal injury lawsuit. Understanding how common public transportation accidents are in New York City can help you stand up for yourself if you experience one.