To be a New Yorker is a special quality - several generations have learned to get by without ever owning a driver's license. Between the subway, city cabs and city buses, plenty of individuals can live their entire life without ever having to get behind the wheel.
As the city expands and as people branch outwards towards smaller, more family friendly neighborhoods, the need to drive one's own vehicle increases. More people are choosing to commute to work so they can enjoy their big city jobs while living in a suburban neighborhood. With so many more commuters on the roads, car accidents are bound to happen and it's just a matter of when and where.
According to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, in 2009 there were over 250,000 accidents that were reported by police officers - and over 300,000 that were believed to occur total. Of these, 15,000 involved pedestrians, 5,000 involved bicycles and 5,000 involved motorcycles. The NYS DMV also reported that over 8,000 accidents occurred this year that were related to alcohol in some matter.
With such a large amount of auto accidents, many people are left injured and unable to return to work for any amount of time. Sustaining injuries in an accident can be one of the most frustrating times in an individual's life, but fighting to make a full recovery is generally your only option.
Whether a city cab is involved in the accident, a commercial truck or van, or a passenger vehicle, car accidents are an inescapable fact of life. Even in a city so widely known for its streamlined public transportation system, innocent pedestrians, motorcyclists, bicyclists and other drivers will continue to be involved in car accidents on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, in a town with so many unlicensed drivers, driver inexperience can play a larger than normal role in car accidents. Other common causes of car accidents involve all forms of driver recklessness, inattention and carelessness. Such examples would include: reckless driving, speeding, texting while driving, going the wrong way on a one way street, tailgating, and drunk driving.
One of the most frequently occurring causes of car accidents includes driver distractions. There are three types of driver distractions, including visual distractions, manual distractions and cognitive distractions. By example, a visual distraction could include a person turning around to talk to their child in the back seat or by looking at a TV screen in the car; visual distractions take your eyes off the road. A manual distraction is simply any type of distraction that may take your hands of the wheel, including applying makeup, eating, texting, or even attempting to drive without hands. The third type of distraction, cognitive distraction, is a type of distraction that takes a person's mind off of what they are doing. This can include drinking and driving or falling asleep at the wheel.
Driver negligence is a serious issue that can wreak havoc for other drivers and passengers sharing the road. Whether the driver was reading a map while driving, eating a meal while shifting gears, or texting to a friend while operating their motor vehicle, all of these types of behaviors can lead to a serious car accident. In nearly every car accident, driver negligence played a large role in the collision, thus leading to disastrous consequences for those around the negligent driver.
Car accidents remain one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and the state of New York is no exception. By far the majority of car accidents could have been prevented if the driver was paying more attention and driving in a safer manner. Because nearly all car accidents are preventable, when drivers cause bodily injury or death to other individuals, they can be held legally and financially accountable for any harm they inflict upon other people.
If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident, or if you lost a love one in a wrongful death, you may have cause for a personal injury lawsuit against the legally liable party. It would be unfair to make you shoulder the expense and a lifetime of consequence for someone else's negligent behavior. A personal injury lawyer will be able to assist you in the matter. They can enlist the help of accident reconstruction experts, medical professionals and witness testimony when building a strong case. They may be able to help you obtain maximum compensation that would cover your medical expenses, any pain and suffering, lost wages and loss of future wages. Don't hesitate to contact a skilled and knowledgeable personal injury lawyer today!
Source by Jordan Hecht
