Truck Accidents

Published on: January 28, 2014

NY DOT’s lax oversight of commercial carriers increases the risk of bus and truck accidents according to recent audit by The New York State Comptroller

More than 35,000 potentially unrepaired trucks and buses could be putting New York road users at risk of dangerous accidents.

A recent audit by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli found that The New York Department of Transportation is not doing enough to ensure that commercial bus and truck companies whose vehicles or drivers have been found to have violations serious enough to warrant their removal from services, are making timely repairs or corrections.

The audit looked at inspections conducted from September 2008 to 2012 and found that out of 448,842 inspections conducted 20% of them or 90,368 vehicles were cited for one or more out of service violations. 76,229 of them were out of service violations on vehicles (trucks or buses) and 21,417 on drivers.

Continue reading →

Published on: January 28, 2014

Bus and Truck Accident Prevention: the FMCSA implements a new rule to close a loophole that previously allowed dangerous motor carrier operators to stay in business by submitting a new application for a registration under a different name

By GGCRBHS&M

To prevent bus and truck accidents caused by negligent motor carriers the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration just published a final rule that addresses motor carrier management companies with a pattern of safety violations.

Starting February 21st 2014, the FMCSA will have the authority to “suspend or revoke the operating authority registration of for-hire motor carriers that show egregious disregard for safety compliance, permit persons who have shown egregious disregard for safety compliance to exercise controlling influence over their operations, or operate multiple entities under common control to conceal noncompliance with safety regulations“.

This new rule will prevent bus and truck operating companies that have been previously placed out of service to submit a new registration under a new name to continue operations or to avoid other negative consequences of non-compliant behavior including a poor safety history.

Continue reading →

Published on: January 22, 2014

One killed and two severely injured in a Cement truck Accident in the Bronx, New York

By GGCRBHS&M

The driver of a cement truck was killed and four people suffered personal injury in an accident that happened in the Bronx on Monday. The truck driver was exiting the Major Deegan Expressway when he lost the control of his vehicle. According to witnesses the truck struck two cars before it crashed into a two faimly dwelling destroying the front of the building.

Personal Injury NYC: Pedestrian loses her leg in Truck Accident

By GGCRBHS&M

A woman suffered severe personal injury in a truck accident in New York last Saturday. The 63 year old woman was crossing Second Ave at 68th Street when she was struck and dragged by a cement mixer truck. Her leg was severed below the knee. The truck driver didn’t see the victim.

Unfortunately, every year, thousands of people are killed or sustain serious injuries in accidents involving commercial trucks and buses. Tragically, many of these accidents are the result of negligent truck and bus drivers and their employers. These accidents can result from poor driving, including the failure to yield the right of way to pedestrians, vehicles, bicyclists, failure to keep a proper lookout as well as other violations of the relevant vehicle and traffic laws. Some accidents also involve the failure to properly maintain and/or equip the involved truck or bus.

Read more about this truck Accident in DNA Info New York

Published on: January 20, 2014

New York Bicycle Accident: Cyclist crushed by bus in Harlem

By GGCRBHS&M

45 year old Pedro Santiago died in a bicycle accident this week-end in Harlem, New York. The bicyclist was trying to pass an MTA bus when the driver pulled out of the bus stop and struck him. Pedro Santiago fell on the street and the bus ran over him. He died at the hospital from severe head and body injuries.

This is the first fatal bicycle accident in New York this year. There are more than 3,600 bicycle accidents in NYC every year and last year 17 people died after being involved in a bicycle accident in the city (see our previous blog). Most bicycle accidents happen when a motor vehicle fails to yield the right of way or suddenly makes a left turn into the path of a cyclist. In this case the Bus was pulling out of of a Bus stop. All too often bus drivers, who are forced to work long ours are not attentive to Bicyclists and pedestrians. We do not yet know the facts as to this accident. Since there was a fatality the accident will be intenively reconstructed by The N.Y.P.D. Collision Investigation Squad, formerly known as The Accident Investigation Squad.

Read more about this bicycle accident in the New York Post

Published on: January 13, 2014

Pedestrian Dies in Tour Bus Accident in NYC on Friday night

By GGCRBHS&M

Alexander Shear, 73, died in a bus accident in New York on Friday night. The accident happened on 96th street and Broadway on the Upper West Side of NYC.

Alexander Shear who was famous in New York for his pop culture collection was hit and dragged by a Shafer tour bus driver who was making a turn from Broadway to 96th street. The Tour Bus driver didn’t realize he had hit anyone and dragged the man to his death. Horrified witnesses had to chase him to stop him.

New York Truck Accident: Pedestrian seriously injured after being struck by a FDNY truck

By GGCRBHS&M

A pedestrian suffered serious personal injury after being hit by a New York Fire Department Truck while crossing McDonald Ave near Church in Brooklyn New York. The truck was racing to a blaze when the accident happened. The pedestrian, a 30 year old man, was immediately given aid by the firefighters who dispatched another truck to the blaze.

Car Accident Prevention: The New York Fire Department is considering adding a safety driving device on their ambulances

By GGCRBHS&M

To prevent traffic crashes, the New York Fire Department is considering adding a safety device under the seat of the ambulance driver to analyze in real time the speed, g-force, seat belt use, lights, sirens and other factors. When the driver becomes too aggressive by driving too fast or taking turns too hard the device emits a sound to alert him.

This device is already used by the emergency medical services at Jersey City Medical Center and drivers said they really like it because it helps them to make an appropriate decision in terms of response time while keeping the safety of the crew and other people on the road in mind.

In the US, there are 10,000 ambulance accidents every year.

Published on: December 9, 2013

74 year old woman dies after being struck by a bus in Co-op City in the Bronx, New York

By GGCRBHS&M

Gloria Mabry, 74 died in a bus accident in New York on Friday night. It was raining that night and the grandmother was coming back from the supermarket. She was pushing a cart full of groceries when she was struck and killed by a MTA bus on Co-op City Boulevard and Dreiser Loop.

Readmore in News 12 The Bronx

Pedestrian fatalities are on the rise in New York city and more than 220 New Yorkers have been killed in traffic accidents this year. In a plan called “Vision Zero” Bill de Blasio committed to eliminating traffic accident deaths by 2014. We shall see.

Continue reading →

Published on: December 8, 2013

Police Commissioner Kelly eulogizes traffic agent who died on the job after being run over by a truck

By GGCRBHS&M

A New york Traffic Enforcement agent who died in a truck accident last week in Midtown Manhattan was eulogized by NYPD Commissioner Kelly at the funeral yesterday. Kalyanarat Ranasinghe, a 71 year old NYPD Traffic Agent was struck and killed by a vacuum truck as the truck driver was pulling away from a parking spot. Kelly said the traffic agent loved his job and had a calming effect on everyone he encountered.