Auto Accidents

Published on: October 31, 2014

Two drunk drivers charged together for the death of a passenger in a car crash in Brooklyn, NYC

Richard Romano Santos and Gerrard Herbert were both drunk when they crashed into each other on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, NYC, a few months ago. Michelle Mignot who was lying down on the back seat of Herbert’s car was killed during the accident. Both men were charged together for the death of Michelle Mignot and they are facing up to 15 years in jail.
Read more in CBS New York

Published on: October 29, 2014

To prevent deaths and injuries related to traffic accidents in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed legislation that lowers the speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph in the city

By GGCRBHS&M

Starting November 7 New York City’s default speed limit will be lowered to 25 mph unless otherwise posted. The new law was signed at the beginning of the week by Mayor de Blasio during a press conference that took place on Delancey Street near the location of the accident that killed 12 year old Dashane Santana in 2012. The event was attended by families of victims of traffic accidents and other elected officials. To lower the speed limit in New York City is a key milestone of the Vision Zero Initiative to reduce injuries and death related to traffic accidents.
See Mayor de Blasio’s speech below.

Published on: October 22, 2014

After hitting a 92 year old pedestrian in Queens, NYC, the driver of the car attempted to flee but was chased by 3 other motorists and forced to stop

By GGCRBHS&M

A 33 year old driver hit a 92 year old man at 26th Ave and 44th street, in Queens, NYC, Wednesday around 5.30 pm. The driver first stopped at the scene but then started to drive away. Other drivers who had witnessed the accident were able to follow him and hold him until the police arrived. Charges are pending against him.

Queens pedestrian severely injured in car accident

By GGCRBHS&M

A man lost control of his car and struck another car causing it to jump the curb and hit a pedestrian who was knocked down to the pavement in St Albans, Queens, NYC. The pedestrian was transported to the hospital in critical conditions. the driver stayed at the scene and told the police that his brakes failed. The accident is still being investigated by the police.

Read more in the Gothamist

Published on: October 17, 2014

The cab driver who killed 9 year old Cooper Stock last January was charged with failure to exercise due care, a traffic infraction that carries a maximum of 15 days in jail

By GGCRBHS&M

Last January, 9 year old Cooper Stock was walking on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with his father when he was struck by a taxi making a left turn at the intersection of West End and West 97th Street (see previous blog). The cab driver who struck the young boy was charged this month with failure to exercise due care, a traffic violation that carries a maximum of 15 days in jail, fines up to $750, a license suspension of up to 6 months and a mandatory drivers’ed course.

Since the beginning of the year the total number of traffic fatalities in NYC is down by 5.6% with pedestrian deaths down by 16.6% compared to 2013 however the number of cyclists dying in accidents has more than doubled during the same period of time

By GGCRBHS&M

167 people, including 80 pedestrians, 15 cyclists, 17 vehicle passengers and 55 motorists died in traffic accidents in New York City between the beginning of January and the end of August 2013 compared to a total of 177 including 96 pedestrians, 7 cyclists, 18 vehicle passengers and 56 motorists for the same period of time in 2013. The number of motorists and passengers vehicle deaths is stable while pedestrian deaths have been declining following some intense Zero Vision campaigning. However not everything looks good in this picture: the number of cyclists dying in traffic accidents more than doubled during that time.

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Published on: October 14, 2014

70 year old pedestrian dies after being struck by SUV in Chinatown, downtown Manhattan

By GGCRBHS&M

A 70 year old woman was fatally hit by a SUV in Chinatown early this morning. According to the NY Daily news, the SUV driver was waiting at a red light on Elizabeth Street and Canal. When the light turned green, the man started to drive. He didn’t see the woman crossing in front of the car and hit her.

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The nyccrashmapper.com heat map highlights how dangerous Canal Street is. There is an average of 2.71 accidents per month at the intersection where the woman was hit by the SUV.

Published on: October 7, 2014

Pedestrian dies after being struck by a SUV last night in Brooklyn

By GGCRBHS&M

Cristina Alonso died yesterday night after she was hit by a SUV while she was crossing 14th Ave at 86th Street in Dyker Heights in Brooklyn, NYC. The police said the she was struck by the car while walking outside the crosswalk. She died at the Hopsital.

A pedestrian was seriously injured by a taxi that jumped the curb in Uptown Manhattan

By GGCRBHS&M

A pedestrian suffered personal injury after he was hit by a yellow cab on the sidewalk on East 59th Street near Madison Ave in New York yesterday around lunch time. The cab driver lost control of his vehicle, jumped the curb and hit the man before crashing into a building. According to witnesses the cab driver was trying to avoid a cyclist before the accident happened.

With no traffic related death in their area since the begining of 2014, the 108th precinct police demonstrate that Vision Zero efforts can save lives

By GGCRBHS&M

Since the beginning of the year, there has been no deaths related to traffic accidents in Long Island City, Sunnyside and Woodside in Queens, NYC, after the police in this area doubled down on their enforcement of traffic violations as part of the Vision Zero Initiative to reduce traffic fatalities. This is quite an achievement compared to previous traffic statistics in the precinct where at the end of September 2013 8 people including 5 pedestrians were killed in vehicle accidents.

The police have been especially targeting drivers speeding and texting while driving as these behaviors are the two main contributing factors of pedestrian deaths in New York. Speeding tickets were up 30% compared to 2013. Police also doubled the number drunk drivers arrests with 112 people arrested so far compared to a total of 52 in 2013.