Auto Accidents

Published on: March 6, 2014

7 people suffered personal injury in car accident after cops chase motorist who refused to pull over

A car accident that left 7 people injured in Queens, NYC, this weekend is being investigated by NYPD Internal Affairs. Joseph Barriga who was driving a car even though his license had been revoked after 20 suspensions was spotted by the Queens Gang Squad after he blew a stop sign. The cops who were driving an unmarked car tried to pull him over but instead Bariga hit the gas and the cops started to chase him. After a minute of chase the cops were told by their superior to terminate the chase. Two minutes later Barriga blew a red light and slammed into a car with five people in the car. It is not clear if the cops stopped the chase when instructed but they were a block away from the car when the accident happened.

Barriga was charged with reckless endangerment, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and several other violations. No disciplinary actions have yet been taken against the cops involved.

Two pedestrians injured after being struck by a drunk fireman in the Bronx, NY

By GGCRBHS&M

Sean Farrell was drunk when he struck two pedestrians in a crosswalk with his car yesterday night in the Bronx, NY. The police determined that Farrell, a city firefighter was drunk as he refused to take a breathalyzer test. Farell was charged with an elevated DWI charge because it is the second time in less than 10 years that he has been caught while driving while intoxicated.

To better protect Road Users from Dangerous Drivers and potential Car Accidents, New York Governor announces that Prosecutors will now have Access to Past Driving Information Tickets

By GGCRBHS&M

To reduce the number of car accidents on New York roads and identify drivers with a pattern of dangerous driving, Governor Cuomo announced Today that the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will now provide prosecutors with information about drivers’ ticket history so they can make a better judgement when looking at a plea for a current driving charge.

So far New York prosecutors were only able to access convictions.

In New York it is common practice for courts and prosecutors to allow drivers charged with a speeding offense to plead those charges down to lesser offenses such as a parking violation. Because prosecutors were missing drivers’ ticket history, potentially dangerous drivers were taking advantage of this loophole to avoid harsher prosecution and stay on the road.

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Published on: March 4, 2014

Hit and Run driver faces jail time after admiting leaving the scene of a deadly car accident in Staten Island, NYC

By GGCRBHS&M

A 34 year old man who fatally struck a 4 year old girl and left the scene of the accident in Staten Island is facing time in jail. The victim and her family were crossing in the middle of the road at a good distance from the corner when the man drove into them. He continued on his way and didn’t turn himself to the police until 16 hours later.

To reduce auto accidents resulting in pedestrian and bicyclist personal injury and death the NYPD launches ticket blitz for double parking or parking on bike lanes in several NYC preccints

By GGCRBHS&M

In NYC, auto accidents involving pedestrians or bicyclists have a higher risk of occurring when cars or other vehicles are double parked or parked on a bike lane. As part of the Vision Zero traffic initiative mandated by the New York mayor, precincts in the city are launching ticket blitzes against drivers who are double parking or parking on bike lane lanes. One started today in Washington Heights and targeted drivers parking illegally on West 181st Street. Also Today In Park Slope, Brooklyn, the 78th precinct cops who were recently targeting drivers failing to yield turned their attention to drivers illegally parked on the bike lanes. We also previously reported similar activity on the Upper West Side of Manhattan on Columbus Ave.

Published on: February 28, 2014

In New York City, the number of people who died or suffered personal injury in a vehicle accident slightly decreased in January according to data recently released by the NYPD

By GGCRBHS&M

21 people died and 3,899 suffered personal injury in a vehicle accident in New York City last January compared to 26 deaths and 4,277 personal injuries the month before and 28 deaths and 3,993 personal injuries the same month a year ago.

personal%20injury%20vehicle%20accident.png death%20vehicle%20accident%20NYC.png Pedestrian Accidents

More than 1000 pedestrians suffered personal injury in a vehicle accident last January. The number of pedestrians who died after being struck by a vehicle was of 12 last January compared to 17 in December, 25 in November and 20 the same month a year ago. At this point it is difficult to know if this decrease is already the result of NYPD Vision Zero measures or if the bad weather kept many pedestrians inside.

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Published on: February 26, 2014

To prevent potential car accidents two drivers stop and trap a drunk driver

By GGCRBHS&M

A drunk driver who clipped a tractor trailer truck on a New York Highway and continued on his way after the accident was followed by three concerned drivers who were able to stop and trap him until the police arrived. The good Samaritans said they were concerned that the intoxicated man would cause another car accident and kill innocent drivers.

Product Liability: After being pressured General Motor expands its recall to all models with ignition switch problem and admits 13 deaths in car accidents during which the airbag failed to deploy

By GGCRBHS&M

Last week the plaintiff’s lawyer in a now settled product liability lawsuit against GM that showed that the car maker knew about the defective ignition switch before the cars were sold, sent a letter to the NHTSA asking them to require GM to explain why it only had recalled half of the cars affected by an ignition switch issue that previously led to the death of his former client (Melton v. General Motors et. al.,).

In a previous blog we also questioned this recall.

Today General Motors announced that it was doubling the size of last weeks recall to include all models with a defective ignition switch. In addition to the 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalts and Pontiac G5 recalled on Feb. 13, GM said it will recall another 748,000 cars in the U.S., including 2003-2007 Saturn Ions, 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHRs and 2006-2007 Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky models.

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Published on: February 25, 2014

New York State Senator Brad Holyman held a Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Town Hall Tonight at John Jay College of Criminal Justice

By GGCRBHS&M

To discuss the implementation of Vision Zero to reduce pedestrian injuries and deaths related to traffic accidents, New York State Senator Brad Holyman held a “Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Town Hall” at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice tonight. See below for more info.
Vision%20Zero%20Town%20Hall.jpg

Published on: February 25, 2014

Manhattan DA Cy Vance asks for NYC DAs to become involved in the Vision Zero task force to reduce severe personal injury and deaths related to traffic accidents

By GGCRBHS&M

Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance cares about traffic accidents in the city and believes district attorneys should be integrated into the Vision Zero Task Force. All 5 New York City DAs were invited to a City Council Vision Zero Hearing yesterday but only Cy Vance was present. Vance came equipped with a list of solid recommendations that were presented by his Chief Assistant DA Karen Friedman Agnifilo.

The DA believes that prosecutors would be able to make better decisions in holding reckless motorists responsible if they were more involved. The DAs support could also be useful in implementing initiatives that require action by Albany.