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Tag Archives: car accident

February 11, 2015 News
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Westchester, New York train accident injures and kills multiple victims

New York – A commuter train crash occurred in the town of Valhalla in Westchester in the middle of the rush hour commute home. The train slammed into an sport utility vehicle (SUV) that had been stopped on the railroad tracks for an undetermined reason. Witnesses report that the railroad crossing gates came down but possibly hit the car. Reports show that the driver of the car got out of her vehicle briefly but then got back in and tried to move forward. However, she was unable to get off of the train track in time and the resulting train versus car accident pushed the SUV and caused it to burst into flames. The car fire then spread to the train, putting hundreds of train passengers at further risk. Officials say that six accident victims were killed in the crash, with one of them being the driver of the car. At least 15 other people were reported to have suffered injuries in the collision. Several of the injured people were listed as in serious condition. However, a top New York accident lawyer noted that some personal injury victims aren’t aware of some injuries or that some symptoms are actually related to an accident. Accident victims are encouraged to speak to their doctor or go directly to an emergency room if they are concerned about possible or unclear injuries. More about the train and SUV collision along with a video is available here.

Illustrative photo by AEMoreira042281 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

November 30, 2014 News
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Deadly car accident day after New York City’s Vision Zero plan kicks off

New York – A serious pedestrian accident occurred in Queens only one day after the mayor’s aggressive accident prevention program took effect. The car crash left one victim dead and two others suffering with multiple accident related injuries. Witnesses say that the vehicle jumped the curb and slammed into 3 pedestrians, trapping one man under the car. The man who was pinned under the vehicle had to be extricated by emergency workers while and was pronounced dead soon thereafter. The remaining victims suffered various injuries, including a head injury, possible leg fracture as well as neck and back pain. They were taken from the scene by ambulance with initial treatments for suspected spinal injury. Police were investigating the possibility that the crash was an assault and not actually an accident. Onlookers note that this fatal crash occurred after the start of the new Vision Zero program, which includes recent lowering of speed limits to generally 25 miles per hour, to prevent such accidents.

City safety activists point out that several additional deadly motor vehicle accidents occurred over the next two days, involving crashes in three different boroughs. One of those accidents killed an elderly man in Brooklyn as he tried to cross the street. A second crash caused fatal injuries for another senior citizen who was crossing the street in Queens. Only several hours later a middle-aged woman was hit by a car in the Bronx. Citizens continue to express their concerns regarding the safety of the city streets and demand that the police and administration take the necessary actions to crack down on safety violations. They worry that a dangerous driver must be removed from the roads well before he or she can cause additional injuries or death. Proponents have expressed their hope for the future, as the city continues to promote safety with the new program. However, they say that it will take serious efforts on the part of city lawmakers and police to follow through on their plans. Please see this article for more details about the recent rash of deadly pedestrian accidents.

Illustrative photo by Youngking11 (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

October 07, 2014 News
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Studies show distracted driving still a danger, even with hands-free technology

Researchers into driver safety and possible causes of car accidents are concerned after having conducted two recent studies on hands-free devices. These include smartphone applications and integrated car entertainment or information systems. Accident specialists say that distracted driving has become a huge cause of injuries and wrongful deaths on the roads in recent years. They attribute this to driving while talking on a cell phone, texting while driving and fiddling with radios or MP3 players. The studies looked at the effect of technology, such as Apple’s Siri system or the integrated voice-activated systems currently being placed into several vehicles made by various car manufacturers. The systems are meant to allow drivers to text while driving, change radio stations or even send out Facebook postings or Tweets while keeping their eyes on the road. The investigators noted that while the technology does help drivers keep their eyes on the road, it has not helped with keeping the driver’s thoughts and concentration on the road. Not only did these cutting edge systems not prevent distracted driving, it may very well have contributed to the problem. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety explained that the studies suggest that drivers need to concentrate even more on their cell phones and in-car computer systems due to the complexity of the devices. The intricate instructions and procedures needed to make the devices work properly may end up being the cause of a car crash or injury, even when the driver of the vehicle is watching the road. A top New York accident lawyer warned that drivers, car manufacturers and technology developers must each take responsibility for the health and safety of other motorists, pedestrians, and bicylists as well as themselves. Ignoring the significance of these landmark driver safety studies can prove dangerous, even fatal, and can open them up to a personal injury lawsuit. Read the full version of the distracted driver safety study here.

Illustrative photo by Intel Free Press [CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

August 31, 2014 News
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Dangerous cars sold after flood damage

A used car dealer was arrested for illegally selling flood damaged cars after last year’s hurricane. The cars, believed to have been sold to New York and New Jersey residents, were severely damaged by flood waters and were declared “totaled” by their insurance companies. However, this did not stop the owner of the used car seller from selling the hazardous vehicles as regular, safe cars. Car safety experts explain that the salt and water mixture together with the sand and debris from the flood waters can have dangerous effects on the cars, leading to a car fire and/or a car accident. Experts have expressed concern regarding the dangers created by the negligent sale of the potentially deadly vehicles that has created a hazardous condition for everyone on the road. According to officials, the damaged cars were given false identities when the seller created fake ownership titles.

The safety, legal and moral implications of creating the false paperwork apparently did not bother the owner of the car salespeople. They have been arrested and charged with various crimes that endanger public safety. In the meantime, the cars that have been identified as having potential to create an accident, fire or other hazard, have been taken off of the road. Experts say that these vehicles must not be driven and are useful only for spare parts. They warn that use of the vehicles can otherwise lead to injury or wrongful death. Industry specialists explain that electrical components can short circuit or overheat and moving parts may malfunction. Other concerns involve internal rust damage that can lead to a dangerous leak. Investigators will need to continue researching the sale of the dangerous vehicles in order to determine if there are any other cars involved. As of now, no injuries or car crash incidents have been reported involving these vehicles. A New York City accident lawyer noted that if anyone was injured by one of these cars, they have the right to speak to an attorney to decide on the best course of action. More on this investigation of dangerous car sales can be found here.

Illustrative photo by Andrea Booher (This image is from the FEMA Photo Library.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

January 22, 2014 News
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Car company gears up for recall amidst allegations of gas tank safety problems

The Chrysler Group, a US-based car manufacturer, has announced that they will start recalling one of their popular Jeep SUVs in order to make a necessary repair. The car recall is apparently being implemented in order to mitigate concerns of a safety hazard regarding the vehicle’s gas tanks. Car safety advocates have claimed that a design flaw placed the fuel tank in a dangerous location, creating the possibility of a fuel line rupture and fire during a rear-end collision. Rear-end accidents are common and should be taken into consideration when designing and building a car, according to experts. The company plans on adding a trailer hitch to the back of the SUV in order to more support to the vehicle in case of a rear crash. Some safety advocates have expressed concern regarding this proposed fix, believing the repair may not solve the problem. The car company had been asked to institute a dangerous product recall by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration but refused. An investigation was started into the problem but has reportedly been closed now that Chrysler has declared their product recall. Outcries against the closing of the safety investigation have arisen. Various activists have warned that the true nature of the danger of gas tank fires or explosions cannot be discovered without a proper third-party inquiry. See more about this motor vehicle recall here.

Photo by M 93 (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0-de], via Wikimedia Commons

July 31, 2013 News
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Driver causes accident while going wrong way on New York bridge

New York — One person was killed while several others were injured in a five car accident on the Tappan Zee Bridge this past Wednesday. According to state police, the motor vehicle crash occurred as a result of one of the men who was driving the wrong way on the bridge. They say that the wrong-way driver was travelling south in his SUV on the northbound roadway when he crashed into a car. The other car then rolled over and killed one of the passengers and seriously injuring the driver victim. Three other vehicles were subsequently involved in the pile up during the accident, causing multiple injuries. Reports show that at least one of the accident victims suffered a spinal injury while a trauma specialist notes that further evaluation will be necessary to determine any other injuries to the other people. It has been pointed out that some injuries from a motor vehicle accident do not become fully apparent until days or even weeks after the trauma. Accident investigators were continuing their search for the entire cause of the car crash, including why the man would have driven the wrong way on the highway. Highway safety activists have wondered if proper signs and preventative devices were in place to avert such a dangerous condition. They note that other high-profile car accidents have occurred on New York roads due to drivers going the wrong direction on the highway over the past few years. Some have blamed these accidents on a combination of dangerous drivers that should not have been allowed to drive and confusing on and off ramps. They warn that there is often a lack of signs or other barriers to prevent drivers from entering the highway in the wrong direction. Safety advocates have been challenging the federal, state and local authorities to deal with the hazardous condition, noting that it is their responsibility to do everything possible to prevent accidents and injuries. They exclaim that highway accidents are often more serious, causing more injury and death that other crashes due to the high speeds involved. Investigators say that motorists are more likely to be speeding on an highway and this very often contributes to accidents. Read up more in this article about the recent deadly wrong-way car crash.

Photo by Mohsan Dabiri-e Vaziri (Own work) [CC-BY-2.5], via Wikimedia Commons

June 12, 2013 News
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Concern mounts over 911 dispatching errors in New York City

New York — The new 911 emergency call and dispatch system in New York City (NYC) was just installed a few weeks ago but has already been implicated in dangerous delays in ambulance responses. Reports have surfaced about a long delay in dispatching an urgent request for an ambulance for a pedestrian accident with a car this past week. The car accident occurred when an unlicensed teen driver tried to speed away from police in his SUV. The reckless driver hit two pedestrians, a young child and her grandmother, when he ran up onto a Manhattan sidewalk. Witnesses reported that the ambulance took too long to arrive at the car crash scene, where the victims suffered significant accident injuries. The child crash victim died soon after arriving in the hospital’s emergency room and some wonder if this could have been prevented. Some public safety specialists warn that the new 911 computer system is not working properly and needs to be fixed before more people are injured or killed. Reports continue to surface about other emergency 911 calls that have been delayed or lost for significant amounts of time by the new computer system. Some citizen activists and dispatchers explain that there have been calls that have been lost in the system for an hour or more but they feel that the administration refuse to acknowledge or correct the problems. Instead, they say, the dangerous condition has become folly for disputes between the city and emergency worker’s union. A top injury attorney noted that extended delays in dispatching police, fire and ambulance services may be construed as professional negligence and therefore be grounds for a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. Currently, the fire department commissioner claims that this mistake occurred when a dispatcher ignored the call for help that was clearly on her computer screen. Further investigation is underway with several experienced dispatchers insisting that the city is ignoring the real problem of serious computer glitches in the system. You can read more about the investigation and controversy into the new 911 dispatching system here.

Photo by Jason Pack (This image is from the FEMA Photo Library.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons