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Tag Archives: drunk driver

Queens car accident leaves one woman dead and mutiple injury victims

New York – The Van Wyck Expressway was the scene of a deadly hit-and-run car crash one late night this month. An elderly woman was a rear passenger of a car that was struck by another ‎vehicle, leaving her with fatal injuries. Her vehicle was hit from behind by an SUV during the high ‎speed motor vehicle accident (MVA) that ultimately involved three cars. The rear-end accident also ‎caused multiple accident victims to suffer injuries of varying degrees. To make matters worse, the ‎reckless driver that caused the collision fled the scene on foot after hitting a guardrail and crashing ‎onto another road. Police believe that the driver of that SUV was speeding and possibly could have ‎been a drunk driver. The driver of the car that was rear-ended was also evaluated for injuries from the ‎accident. However, at least two more crash victims from a third vehicle involved in the same accident ‎were taken to the hospital with wounds according to reports. There are more details about this hit-‎and-run crash and other recent deadly New York City MVAs available at this site.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Carlos Ebert [License]

Deadly drag racing car crash blamed on drunk drivers

New York – Two car accident victims were killed last week on the Nassau Expressway near the border between Long Island and Queens. Five other victims were injured in the highway accident according to police reports. The two victims that were killed were a recently engaged couple that were driving home when they were hit. The collision caused their car to burst into flames and the trapped couple died in the fire. Emergency responders explained that the multi-vehicle car accident left tremendous amounts of damage and injuries ranging from broken bones to spinal injuries to critical injuries. Investigators into the cause of the fatal collision have noted several pieces of evidence that point to reckless driving, drag racing and even drunk driving. Police have arrested and charged two of the people involved in the crash. They believe that the cause of the accident was well more than just carelessness or even negligence. Prosecutors believe that the criminal actions of two of the drivers are what caused the motor vehicle accident. They believe that two of the vehicles were drag racing and lost control, slamming into the other cars and causing a chain reaction. The at-fault drivers will face criminal charges but can also face personal injury lawsuits as well as wrongful death lawsuits. See this article for more about the drunk driving accident.

Illustrative Photo Credit: by Werner Vermaak (originally posted to Flickr as Immobilized Patient) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Car versus truck accident kills one victim in Manhattan

New York – The driver of a Mercedes car rear-ended a truck that was double-parked in the street just before 5:00 in the morning in the Harlem section of Manhattan yesterday. Reports indicate that the delivery man who was driving the truck was inside of a local business making a work delivery when he left his truck parked in the middle of the street. The driver of the car apparently didn’t see the truck and caused the rear-end collision. Her vehicle then veered across the road and crashed into a tree, causing massive damage. The front-seated passenger of the car suffered a severe head injury with fatal brain damage. He was declared dead in Harlem Hospital due to the accident injuries according to emergency department doctors. The man who was killed in the crash was identified as being from Jackson Heights in Queens, NY. The female driver also suffered facial injuries but is expected to survive. Police have arrested the woman on suspicion of drunk driving. While police will continue investigating the cause of the accident, this type of deadly motor vehicle crash will require an expert accident lawyer to determine fault. The truck driver may be considered negligent for leaving the delivery truck in the middle of the road, while the possible drunk driver may also bear fault. You can read more about the collision here.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Brad P. [License]

Bus crash in Queens killed three and injured over a dozen more victims

New York – Two buses collided during a horrific motor vehicle accident in Queens that left three people dead and at least 16 more victims injured. The bus accident occurred when a private charter bus was speeding through an intersection and hit a New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bus that was loaded with passengers. Officials say that the private was empty from passengers and only the driver was in it at the time of the crash. The driver of that private bus was killed in the accident along with a pedestrian struck and trapped under the bus and a passenger from the MTA public bus, all of which suffered fatal injuries in the collision. In addition to these fatalities, emergency crews reported that another 16 people suffered various wounds from the bus collision, including passengers on the Q20 public bus and pedestrians nearby.

Members of the public have expressed outrage upon hearing that the driver who caused the crash had been fired from his job as a bus driver with the MTA approximately two years ago. Even more concerning was the reason for which he had been fired. Officials note that the driver had been a drunk driver in his personal car when he hit two other vehicles in Connecticut. He then fled the scene of that crash but was eventually arrested for that hit-and-run accident. Safety activists want to know why the man was allowed to retain his driver’s license, let alone a license to drive a bus. They warn that lax attitudes toward such dangerous behavior is exactly what leads to deadly crashes and pedestrian accidents such as this one. Additionally, they want to know if the private bus company did their due diligence in looking into the employee’s driving record and criminal history. Some feel that it is negligent to allow such a dangerous driver on the roads and be responsible for so many lives. Read this article for more on this bus accident.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Ken [License]

Drunk wrong-way driver causes accident on Long Island

New York – Police were called about a woman driving the wrong direction http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/northern-state-wrong-way-crash-caused-by-drunken-driver-cops-say-1.13068722 on the Wantagh State Parkway recently. Unfortunately, they were unable to stop the vehicle before she caused a car crash in a head-on collision with another car. The police investigators believe that the woman was driving while intoxicated, leading to her driving the wrong way onto the highway. The drunk driver was arrested and charged in causing the accident with injuries. The driver of the second car also suffered injuries, including a hand injury, in the accident and required treatment. Trauma specialists note that such an injury can include a broken bone, nerve damage and tendon or ligament wounds. They explain that an accident victim should seek emergency medical evaluation and treatment to prevent more serious complications. Accident reconstruction experts add that a head-on collision such as this can be even more significant, since the opposing forces can increase the severity and likelihood of injury. See this article http://patch.com/new-york/eastmeadow/nassau-woman-arrested-dwi-after-driving-wrong-direction-northern-state-causing for more about this drunk driving accident.

Illustrative Photo Credit: Rian Castillo [License]

I Was in An Accident :: What Should I Do?

New York – Car accidents have become an unfortunate reality in this fast-paced world of distracted drivers, speeding drivers and a driver who’s always late for something. What should you do to protect yourself in case you’re involved in a motor vehicle crash? Experts say that it is always appropriate to first address any accident injuries, even if it’s only a potential wound. Simply call 911. An accident victim is often distracted by the legal and monetary aspects of the collision and sometimes overlook an injury. If there is any question of injury, you should tell the 911 operator and they will send both police and an ambulance. The ambulance crew and hospital staff can evaluate you for serious injuries and document your wounds. This can assist in your urgent and long-term care and help smooth out some potential insurance coverage problems for your car crash injuries later down the line. Don’t worry – the police can deal with the car and investigation of the accident while you’re taken to an emergency room for evaluation. Police can also meet you at the hospital, if necessary, to follow up. Police can also meet you at the hospital, if necessary, to follow up. All of these guidelines are applicable to any type of accident – including car collision, motorcycle crash, bicycle accident or even a slip-and-fall accident.

After your health and safety has been addressed, you can deal with the rest. Of course, you should always be honest with police and medical personnel, but don’t admit guilt. Many factors must be taken into consideration by investigators into the accident. They will assess for a possible drunk driver, reckless driving and other illegal or negligent activity that may have caused or contributed to the crash. Remember, you have the right to consult with a top New York accident lawyer to determine your rights. You can also read this article for more details about what you can do in the event of a motor vehicle collision.

Illustrative Photo Credit: Morgan [License]

Brooklyn Bridge motor vehicle crash leaves multiple injured victims

New York – A 3 car pile-up car accident on the Brooklyn Bridge reportedly began when a broken down car was rear-ended by a second vehicle. The disabled car had been parked in the right lane of the roadway when it was struck by the second vehicle. However, a third car then slammed into the second, causing that second vehicle to roll over. The roll-over accident then caused a passenger to be ejected from the car. Police believe that the driver of the car that flipped over was drunk driving, possibly causing the first collision. The suspected drunk driver was arrested and brought in for further investigation according to officials. By the end of the triple vehicle car crash, there were at least seven injury victims who required emergency evaluation and treatment. Several of the victims suffered with neck and back pain, which may indicate spinal damage, according to medical specialists. They explain that the spinal injury could be simple muscle aches but could also be indicative of fractured vertebrae, herniated discs, disc bulges or even spinal cord damage.

This accident was reminiscent of a recent ambulance accident where the ambulance also rolled over. That collision also occurred in Brooklyn, very close to the exit for the Brooklyn Bridge. The accident involved an SUV truck that was hit by the ambulance, that was travelling with emergency lights and sirens as it was responding to the scene of an unrelated crash. There were four people with injuries in the accident, including the two EMTs working on the ambulance. See details about the multi-vehicle Brooklyn Bridge accident here.

Illustrative photo by: Alex Proimos from Sydney, Australia [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Garbage truck accident in Brooklyn causes injuries and death

New York – A car crash involving a BMW versus a garbage truck occurred on Wednesday, according to police. The truck crash apparently began when the driver of the car slammed into the privately owned and operated truck. Emergency services reported that one of the passengers from the car, a man in his twenties, died from massive trauma during the collision. At least 2 other people were injured in the motor vehicle accident, including another passenger and the driver of the car. Those accident injuries have required emergency treatment according to reports. The 2 workers that were in the garbage truck did not require transport to an emergency room but may require evaluation for possible injuries. Trauma doctors note that some injuries from an accident may only become evident hours, days or even weeks after the initial incident. This is why doctors recommend that anyone who is involved in a serious accident with injuries, should be evaluated soon after the crash, even if the injured victim was someone else involved in the incident. They note that if there was enough force to cause injuries to another person in the accident, then there’s a higher likelihood that other people also suffered an injury. This is even more so the case if there was someone killed in the accident. Such injuries can include a spinal injury, internal bleeding or even a broken bone.

While the injured victims are tended to, the police continue to investigate the cause of the truck collision. They have reported that the driver of the car may have been a drunk driver and this may have caused the accident. In fact, the driver had been charged with driving while under the influence (DWI) in the past and there was a warrant out for his arrest. The current DWI charge would bring a more severe penalty in light of the wrongful death in this case. Find out more about the drunk driving accident here.

Illustrative photo by Kevin.B (Own work) [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Police arrest man accused of hit-and-run car accident on Long Island

New York – The driver of a sport utility vehicle (SUV) crashed into a car, causing serious accident injuries to the other driver and unknown injuries to the passenger. Police report that the man driving the SUV had been arrested in the past as a drunk driver and convicted a few years ago. The charges against him include fleeing the scene of an accident with personal injuries and allegedly driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He apparently bypassed the installed breathalyzer device in his car that was intended to prevent additional drunk driving incidents. Road safety specialists say that driving while intoxicated or impaired increases the danger of a motor vehicle collision, including a pedestrian accident or bicycle accident. Public wellbeing activists have complained that the courts and government have been negligent in effectively keeping drunk or dangerous drivers off of the roads. Some have pointed out that installing a breathalyzer system in a convicted drunk driver’s car is not enough. These systems are too easy to bypass and a driver can also simply use a different car. They note that reckless drivers should be dealt with harshly, including putting them in jail, in order to protect the welfare of everyone else on the roads. An accident lawyer in New York City explains that the driver of the SUV will likely face both criminal charges as well as a personal injury lawsuit. However, the possibility of further charges or lawsuits cannot be excluded pending investigation of the circumstances surrounding the SUV accident. More about the car crash can be found here.

Illustrative photo by U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Patrick J. Cook [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Queens car crash into creek kills multiple accident victims

New York – This past Friday night ended with four passengers of a car accident dead after the vehicle sank into a creek. Police say that the car ran into the water after hitting the wooden barrier at the end of a dead end street. The car slammed into the barrier and then plunged into the cold water in the Astoria section of Queens, NY with only the driver being able to escape. Only several hours after this deadly accident, another vehicle also fell into a small section of the East River less than a mile away from the first crash. This time it was an SUV that hit a thin chain linked fence on the dead end street and then rolled over into the river. The SUV accident ended happier, with the four victims escaping alive. Details of the injuries that they suffered in that roll-over accident are still unclear. Fire Department of New York divers took part in both rescue and recovery operations.

Police investigators are continuing their search for the causes of these motor vehicle collisions. They are currently reviewing security camera footage from the initial collision and believe that the driver may have been speeding. Regarding the second accident with injuries, there has been speculation that a drunk driver may have been behind the wheel. A drunk driving accident would help explain why the one vehicle accident occurred. However, concerned citizens worry that regardless of the cause of the accidents, New York City should be doing more to prevent these types of calamities. Specifically, some have pointed out that the road safety division should have known that stronger barriers and better signs were necessary at the ends of these dark dead end roads. They note that the water hazard is serious enough to warrant more than a low wooden barrier or simple chain linked fence. Improved lighting could also help prevent motor vehicle accidents but require city funding. Public advocates have warned that the government officials and land owners in these dangerous areas are responsible to secure the roads and public. They explain that improper planning and safety preparations may constitute negligence. See this site for more about the fatal collision into Steinway Creek.

Illustrative photo by ecksunderscore from New York City (FDNY boat) [CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons