The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported over 5.5 million car accidents in 2012. Since then, New York has been making significant progress in reducing the number of accidents on the roadways. Mayor Bill de Blasio and his administration have attempted to cut down on car accident fatalities on the streets of New York with his Vision Zero plan. The plan works to increase law enforcement efforts, improve road safety and upgrade equipment and technology.
City vehicles can be dangerous on New York roadways
Nursing home aides charged after taking inappropriate photos
Nursing home employees are expected to treat their elderly residents with kindness and respect. Unfortunately, some employees abuse and neglect the people they are supposed to care for. Four former New York nursing home aides have been charged after taking inappropriate photos and videos of the residents in the home. The negligent parties face charges including felony first-degree endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person and willful violation of public health law.
Sleep apnea patients more likely to be involved in road accidents
Many New York car accidents are caused by drivers that are not fully focused on the road. A lack of sleep can result in an inability to focus and sleepiness while driving. A recent study reveals that drivers with sleep apnea are more likely to drive erratically than those without the disorder. Sleep apnea causes disrupted breathing while a person is sleeping at night, thereby causing sleepiness during the day. Falling asleep behind the wheel has caused numerous car accidents.
The future of distracted driving enforcement: textalyzer tech
Law enforcement has a system for finding out whether a driver was under the influence of alcohol. If the officer has reason to suspect drunk driving, he will ask the driver to submit to a Breathalyzer test. Breathalyzers measure the blood alcohol content of the driver and will help determine whether he will be arrested for a DUI.
Blocked bike lanes increasingly dangerous for cyclists
It is not uncommon for parked cars or idling taxis to force cyclists to swerve into traffic causing bike lanes to become increasingly dangerous for New York cyclists. Blocked bike lanes are more than an inconvenience; they can produce personal injuries and even fatalities. In NYC there have been 17 cyclist fatalities as of August 2016, already surpassing last year's total. As fatalities climb, it is important for cyclists to know that the law is behind them.
