The New York City Council and Transportation Alternatives are working on new legislation they hope will lower the number of people seriously hurt or killed in traffic accidents. The new bill aims to create a task force to analyze and update the NYPD's current traffic enforcement and crash investigation procedures. At a recent hearing, two councilmembers presented the Crash Investigation Reform Act, which has the purpose of assessing the NYPD's current accident investigation and traffic safety enforcement strategies. The councilmembers said that current protocols are not doing an adequate job of keeping New York City's streets safe. Once the assessment has been completed, the Act would require the implementation of the most effective methods to reduce the amount of injuries and fatalities.
New York City Council Proposes Crash Investigation Reform
Texting Now Basis for Vehicular Homicide Charges in New Jersey
A new law was recently enacted in New Jersey that allows for the criminal prosecution of drivers who violate the state's hands-free laws and cause a fatal accident. The legislation, called the "Kulesh, Kubert and Bolis Law," covers drivers who were texting on their cellphones at the time of the accident. The measure is named after three individuals who were killed or severely injured by motorists using handheld cellphones while driving. Under the law, proof of texting while driving gives rise to a presumption that the driver was driving recklessly at the time of the accident. Prosecutors can now charge offenders with committing vehicular assault or homicide when an accident occurs as a result of texting while driving.
1 Killed, 2 Injured in Bronx Drunk Driving Hit-and-Run
Intoxicated driving is more than just a crime. It is a grave threat to the safety of every other person on the road. Far too often, New York's news reports are filled with stories of innocent people who are killed or injured at the hands of intoxicated motorists.
Research Reveals Leading Causes of Large Truck Crashes
According to a 2009 survey from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, an astounding 10 percent of all fatal motor vehicle accidents involve large trucks. The truck accident rate is disproportionately high, considering that large trucks make up only about 3 percent of all registered vehicles.To find the causes, two engineers from Kansas State University have combined information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with their own research. The results are quite interesting. For instance, the research shows nearly 78 percent of fatal truck crashes occur in the daylight, and with no obvious adverse weather conditions like rain or snow.
Car Accidents Can Cause Traumatic Brain Injury
In recent years, many Americans have learned about traumatic brain injury from media reports on veterans returning from war and former professional athletes who suffer the consequences of TBIs long after sustaining an injury on the field. TBIs also affect amateur and student athletes as well as victims of car accidents.
