Auto Accidents

Published on: February 26, 2015

The driver who killed a woman in a New York car accident on New Year’s Day was was not only speeding but also was drunk and high on Marijuana and ketamine

Investigators in a car accident that resulted in the death of 27 year old Pamela Pimentel determined that when Hernan Vega crashed into the victim’s cab he was driving at a speed of 107 mph in a street in the Bronx, NYC. Additionally a blood exam showed that the driver’s alcohol level was .14 and that he was also high on marijuana and ketamine a powerful animal tranquilizer. In a pretrial hearing, Vega was slapped with two counts of second-degree vehicular manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and two counts of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Read more in the NY Daily News

Published on: February 24, 2015

A pedestrian died after being struck by a hit and run driver in Queens, NYC, on Sunday night, that’s the second hit an run in Queens in one day

By GGCRBHS&M

A woman in her 2o’s was crossing the street at the intersection of 76th Street and Woodisde in Queens, New York City, on Sunday night when she was struck and killed by the driver of a box truck. The driver of the truck hit the victim as he was turning onto Woodside Avenue but he didn’t stop. He drove away leaving the woman to die in the street. A witness at the scene followed the box truck for a few blocks, stopped the driver and managed to hold him until the police arrived. The police arrested the driver, 27 year old Valentine Gonzalez and charged him with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and driving without a license. Earlier in the day in Queens another woman was struck by a hit and run driver (see previous post)

New York City Police release video of a hit and run driver who critically injured a pedestrian in Queens, NYC

By GGCRBHS&M

A 63 year old woman suffered serious personal injury after she was hit by a hit and run driver who is still at large. The accident happened Sunday morning at 89th Avenue and 120th street in Queens, NYC. The driver hit the pedestrian at 89th Avenue and 120th Street in Queens, and sped off on 89th Ave. The police are still looking for the driver and have released the below video. The vehicle is a dark gray Nissan Pathfinder. The victim was taken to the hospital where she is in serious condition.

Published on: February 23, 2015

An 83 year old pedestrian died after being struck by a car as he was crossing a busy avenue of Brooklyn, NYC

By GGCRBHS&M

A 27 year old driver struck and killed an 83 year old pedestrian last Thursday night in Brooklyn, NYC. Isaak Trakhtenberg was trying to cross busy Pennsylvania Ave between Two Pines and Shroeders. He had already made it to the middle of the avenue and was standing on a concrete median that divides the southbound and the northbound lanes. He was hit by the car of the young driver as he stepped in the southbound lane. The driver stayed at the scene and wasn’t charged. The pedestrian was taken to the hospital where he died.

Picture source: Google

Published on: February 20, 2015

The recent arrest of a New York Bus Driver who failed to yield and severely injured a 15 year old pedestrian angers the union

By GGCRBHS&M

The Transport Workers Union says that the new law penalizing drivers who have injured or killed a pedestrian after they failed to yield should not apply to bus drivers and that it is supporting a proposed amendment in the City Council to exclude bus drivers from the law. This statement from the bus drivers Union follows the arrest last week of Francisco de Jesus, a bus driver who severely injured a 15 year old girl after he failed to yield and struck her in the crosswalk (see previous blog). The bus driver is facing fines of up to $250 or 30 days in jail. Vision Zero proponents believes the punishment is not excessive and should apply to all drivers including bus drivers. Read more in the New York Times

Published on: February 18, 2015

A pedestrian who was struck by a car in Queens, NYC, at the begining of the month, died from his injuries

By GGCRBHS&M

On February 4th, around 11 pm, Marco Orellana was hit by a car on North Conduit Avenue near JFK airport. He was transported to the hospital in critical condition. The police announced yesterday that the man died from his injuries on February 11th. The police also said that they were still investigating the accident. During the accident, The 32 year old driver first struck the pedestrian and then rear-ended a parked car. He stayed at the scene and wasn’t charged. Read more in NewsDay

Published on: February 18, 2015

In case of a car accident, the Buick Encore and the Chevrolet Trax are the cars that will provide the most protection to their occupants according to recent crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

By GGCRBHS&M

When a car accident occurs, some cars are safer than others and will protect occupants from severe personal injury or death more effectively. The Buick encore and its cheaper version, the Chevrolet Trax just earned the Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. To qualify for Top Safety Pick a car must earn a “good” or “acceptable” rating for small overlap protection and a “good” rating in the institute’s moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint crash tests. The 2015 Encore received the highest score (“good”) in the small overlap crash test compared to the 2014 model which was rated “poor” in the same test a year before. The small overlap test replicates a collision during which the front corner of a car hits another car or an object such as a light pole or a tree. Read more in the IIHS press release

Published on: February 17, 2015

In 2014 car companies recalled a record number of 63.95 million vehicles to repair potential manufacturing defects and prevent car accidents

By GGCRBHS&M

GM defective ignition switch and Takata defective airbags accounted for a large part of the recalls.According to the automakers, GM recalled about 27 million vehicles last year, Honda recalled about 8.9 million vehicles last year, Fiat Chrysler recalled about 8.8 million, Toyota recalled about six million and Ford recalled almost 4.9 million.Airbag defects led to one third of all the recalls in 2014. The previous record was of 30.81 million cars recalled in 2004. Manufacturers recalled 22 million vehicles in 2013 and 16 million each year in 2012 and 2011.

Also 7.7 million child safety seats were recalled in 2014, the second highest number since such statistics started to be collected in 1972. Read more in the New York Times

Published on: January 28, 2015

New York cop arrested for drunk driving after crashing his car during the snow storm

By GGCRBHS&M

A 30 year NYPD Veteran who was off duty crashed his car while he was driving under the influence during the snow storm when all non-emergency vehicles were supposed to be off the road. He was arrested after he hit another vehicle at East 58th Street and Kings Highway in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, NYC. The police wouldn’t say if the cop had just gotten off work when the car accident happened.

Read more in DNA

Published on: January 28, 2015

A speeding driver who struck a pedestrian nearly killing him and sped away was caught by the police and charged with leaving the scene of an accident, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle

By GGCRBHS&M

A New York pedestrian is in critical condition after a driver slammed into him and tried to run away from the police. The 35 old man year old had just walked out of a Dehli and was crossing the road at Sherman Ave and Sickles Street in Manhattan when 42 year old Hector Mynaya sped down the street and crashed into the pedestrian. The driver sped away and went to hide in a nearby parking garage where the cops apprehended him.

Read more in the New York Post