New York DOT To Investigate Serious NYC Car Accidents, Propose Safety Upgrades

A Bronx car accident lawyer reveals what NYC drivers should know

Starting in January, serious and fatal car accidents in the Bronx and throughout New York City will be investigated by a new group.

Under the direction of New York City councilors and the mayor, the New York Department of Transportation (DOT) will now investigate bad wrecks in addition to the NYPD.

New York City Police will continue to investigate crashes to determine fault and whether criminal charges are appropriate. The DOT will analyze the accident to determine whether changes to infrastructure or traffic behavior could improve safety.

The change could impact car accident victims' access to crash data, possibly providing faster access to more detailed information. In addition to investigating, the law says the DOT will report new crash data every three months.

This could help a lot of accident victims in the Bronx, where in October more than 1,000 car accidents were reported to police at intersections alone. Highway and bridge car accidents up the total number of bad wrecks in the borough as well.

In the Bronx, the streets reporting the most accidents include:

• Bruckner Boulevard
• Southern Boulevard
• 3rd Avenue
• White Plains Road
• Westchester Avenue

NYPD Crash Investigations

Street safety advocates say that in addition to making proposals to better protect all roadway users, they expect the DOT will represent the perspective of pedestrians and cyclists. The New York Police Department views motor vehicle crashes from the drivers' perspective, according to groups like Families for Safe Streets. This can be harmful to victims.

They also anticipate a strong push for "self-enforcing" streets and less racial bias in traffic enforcement.

Self-Enforcing Streets

The DOT's new car accident responsibilities are largely due to a push by Transportation Alternatives, an advocacy group that presented a strong and data-driven case to create "self-enforcing streets" and get the police some help with traffic investigations.

Self-enforcing streets rely on design and flow patterns, more than enforcement, to effectively manage traffic. Their goal is to maintain proper speed; protect cyclists, bus riders, and pedestrians from motor vehicles; and reduce the overall risk of car accidents.

A Transportation Alternatives report, "The Case for Self-Enforcing Streets," notes that the NYPD does not have the resources to do the work necessary to create self-enforcing streets. For example, the city's Collision Investigation Squad (CIS) manages to investigate about 10% of NYC serious and fatal crashes, Transportation Alternatives says.

New York Accident Reports

In New York, motorists must report accidents resulting in death, serious injury to a person or significant animal, or more than $1,000 in property damage. Crashes that meet and surpass this threshold get a Collision Report (sometimes called a Collision Record). This document is a critical piece of evidence in just about every accident claim. Collision Reports will still be produced by police after the new law starts taking effect on Jan. 1.

Collision reports often indicate who the investigating officer believes caused the accident. As such, it's important for the information in this report to be accurate and tell the entire story of what happened. If you need help obtaining your New York accident report or you need to correct inaccurate information, an attorney can help you set the record straight.

Contact a Car Accident Attorney in the Bronx Today

At Giampa Law, our car accident attorneys proudly serve crash victims and their families located in The Bronx and throughout New York City. We understand what is at stake for you and your loved ones following a serious motor vehicle accident, and that's not something we take lightly.

Whether it's through a negotiated settlement or in court in front of a judge and jury, we will fight for the compensation you need and deserve.

Discover what our law firm can do for you. Contact us today to schedule a free case evaluation.

Our office is located in the heart of the Bronx near Yankee Stadium and the Supreme Court of Bronx County.