Hey fellas, look out! I'm walking here!

What kind of drivers are most to be feared if you're a pedestrian in New York City? If you're thinking cabbies, think again. If you're about to cough up one of those hoary jokes about women drivers – don't. A New York Times article about a study from the New York City department of transportation tells us:

" ... In 80 percent of city accidents that resulted in a pedestrian’s death or serious injury, a male driver was behind the wheel. (Fifty-seven percent of New York City vehicles are registered to men.)"

The article notes that even though a lot of pedestrians are killed in New York traffic, "New York is now far safer to travel within than most other American cities, with half the per capita fatality rate of Atlanta, Detroit or Los Angeles. But New York still trails world capitals like Berlin, London, Paris and Tokyo, all of which are statistically safer."

The report itself lists a number of key findings. Here's one: "Traffic fatalities in 2009 were down by 35% from 2001." Here's another that made me chuckle: "Most New Yorkers do not know the city’s standard speed limit is 30 m.p.h." I think drivers the world over must be about the same. Everyone wants to go faster than the limit. For the record, Charlotte's standard speed limit is 35 m.p.h. unless otherwise posted.