In an increasing number of New York car accidents, distracted driving is to blame. While people of all ages are guilty of using their cellphones while they drive, in many cases it's the youngest drivers on the road -- teenagers -- who are the worst offenders.
As if an increased risk for car accidents wasn't enough, however, data published in a recent study shows that teens who text and drive are often guilty of more dangerous behavior -- such as drinking and driving and not wearing a seat belt.
Whether or not they realize it, drivers of motor vehicles in New York who have a passenger on board take responsibility for that passenger's life. If a passenger dies in a fatal car accident as a result of a driver's negligence, that driver can be held liable for the passenger's loss.
This could happen in a recent early morning fatal crash in Brooklyn involving five people from Connecticut. The 23-year-old driver was allegedly speeding on the Williamsburg Bridge and lost control of her vehicle as it neared the intersection of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.
Car crashes in New York City are hardly uncommon events. However, it's not every day that a vehicle crashes into a house and damages property in addition to the immediate aftereffects of a car accident. However, this is what happened recently in the Laurelton section of Queens the other day.
A total of seven people were injured in the incident. Two vehicles collided at an intersection; one of the vehicles careened into a yard and then into the deck of a home nearby.
Pedestrians in New York are blessed with miles and miles of park trails, subway stations and sidewalks they can use to navigate the city without having to worry about traffic from cars, trucks or buses. However, when property owners don't take care of the sidewalks along their property, it can create a hazardous situation for people who then have to venture into the street and walk.
Such a situation exists in Staten Island's Mariners Harbor, where people have to walk on the street in order to get to a nearby movie theater. This is because the sidewalk is covered in trash, dirt and other debris that makes it impassable -- and forces pedestrians into the street, raising the likelihood of a fatal car accident occurring.
People who live in New York know that it is a hub of activity at all hours of the day. Traffic is constant and while people have grown accustomed to it, sometimes car accidents happen. And even when accidents are averted, there are near-misses all the time. Almost everyone who lives here has a story about themselves or someone they know narrowly escaping certain injury on the street at the last possible moment.
A car or truck accident, when it occurs, is well documented. Police reports record what happene; physical evidence can give investigators valuable clues; and hospital records can document the types of injuries that are sustained.
Families who have lost a loved one in a fatal motor vehicle accident have to endure an unimaginable tragedy. When the driver responsible for the accident drives away from the scene, it can add a layer of uncertainty and lack of closure for the family if the driver is not caught.
A family in upstate New York has had to deal with this uncertainty for more than four decades. Their 4-year-old girl was killed in October 1968 as she was crossing the street and nobody had ever been arrested in the case. Thanks to some 21st-century technology, however, the 44-year-old hit-and-run case has finally been solved.
As New Yorkers know, the constant stream of traffic and drivers on our streets is a constant danger to pedestrians. With the distractions today's drivers face -- not the least of which being cellphones and the temptation of texting while driving -- the possibility of a fatal motor vehicle accident is always a concern.
What people might not expect, however, is to have to dodge a wayward car when they are working inside their place of business. However, this is exactly what happened to an auto body shop in Queens near Citi Field this week. An elderly driver's vehicle jumped the curb and crashed into the shop. It was not immediately clear what led the vehicle to leave the roadway. One mechanic died and another lost his legs in the accident. A third victim was also injured in the crash.
The New York subway system is relatively safe. But fatal train accidents do happen, particularly when people cause them on purpose. Authorities believe a fight led to a fatal train accident, and now they're looking for one of the men they think was involved.
A 33-year-old man and a 20-year-old man apparently began to fight on the L-train on a Friday night in Brooklyn. The younger man was apparently out with friends when the fight broke out. Their dispute reportedly continued when the train doors opened and they exited onto the platform at Bedford Avenue.
In a horrific accident in Brooklyn earlier this week, a bicyclist was struck by a fleeing car and suffered severe injuries. He is said to be clinging to life at a local hospital.
The car accident happened at 73rd Street near 18th Avenue in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. An 80-year-old driver had apparently crashed into a school bus and fled the scene. That's when he struck the 63-year-old bicyclist. The driver then hit another vehicle before finally stopping. He was hospitalized with injuries, but police say he will be arrested and charged with leaving the scene of two accidents.
Driving carelessly has consequences, and not just for the person driving. When people are on a public roadway, they need to realize that their actions can affect everyone around them. A recent car accident involving a bus, truck and car in Brooklyn is a prime example.
The crash happened at Ocean Avenue and Avenue J in Midwood in Brooklyn yesterday morning, police say. According to the New York Daily News, a truck driver heading south on Ocean Avenue apparently ran a red light at the intersection.
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