Manhattan Box Truck Accident: 35-Year-Old Woman Injured In Chinatown Truck Accident By Canal Street Near Cortlandt Alley
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK (February 24, 2020) – A 35-year-old woman was critically injured in a Chinatown truck accident with an unlicensed box truck near the intersection of Canal Street and Cortlandt Alley.
New York police Department officials are saying that the collision occurred around 2:30 p.m. For reasons that remain under investigation the box truck hit the woman and knocked her to the ground.
An ambulance took the victim to the Bellevue Hospital so that she could receive treatment. The driver of the box truck remained at the scene and is expected to be charGed with driving without a license.
A witness said that the intersection is known to be dangerous. There is a history of drivers simply not paying attention.
An investigation into the Chinatown truck accident remains ongoing at this time.
Liability In Chinatown Truck Accidents
There are a number of factors that usually contribute to serious truck accidents. Trucks are very large vehicles that are difficult to maneuver. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, “Elements that influence the occurrence of a crash may take place hours, days, or months before the crash. They include driver training and experience, vehicle design and manufacture, highway condition and traffic signaling, and weather conditions. Other elements may take place immediately before a crash, such as a decision to turn in traffic, a tire blowout, or snow.” Victims of truck accidents tend to suffer very serious injuries including:
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head trauma
- PTSD
All truck drivers must exercise due care in order to avoid hitting pedestrians. According to New York Vehicle Code 1146, “Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any bicyclist, pedestrian, or domestic animal upon any roadway and shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary.” Left turns, in particular, can be very dangerous for pedestrians. Here are just some of the factors that could contribute to a left-turn accident:
- Driver distraction
- Speeding
- Driver intoxication
- Prescription drug use
Truck driver fatigue can be particularly dangerous. There are numerous scientific studies that demonstrate how unsafe it can be for drivers to work while fatigued. In fact, the Centers For Disease Control report that staying awake for only 18 hours reduces driving ability equivalent to driving with a BAC of 0.05%. Drowsy driving is responsible for:
- 83,000 crashes
- 37,000 injury crashes
- 886 fatal crashes (846 fatalities in 2014)
FMCSA regulations require commercial trucks to carry between $750,000 – $5,000,000 depending on the type of material they are transporting. Any person that is injured in a truck accident may have legal recourse through a bodily injury claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. Many accident victims may not realize the full extent of their injuries until several weeks or months after an accident. A truck accident attorney can examine all of the facts of your case free of cost and let you know what your legal rights are.
Getting Help After A Manhattan Box Truck Accident
We at Pulvers, Pulvers & Thompson extend our thoughts and prayers to the woman who was injured in this accident. Any person that may have seen what happened should reach out to police as they continue their investigation. It is totally unacceptable that the driver of any commercial truck would go about their business without a proper license. There needs to be some accountability for the sake of the victim. City officials should also consider measures to help make this intersection safer. Community members are calling this intersection dangerous.
