Bus Driver Charged in Fatal Brooklyn Hit and Run Crash

 A Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) bus driver has been arrested after a hit-and-run crash left a woman dead in Brooklyn. According to an ABC news report, the 48-year-old bus driver has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident, failure to yield to a pedestrian and failure to exercise due care. Police say the bus driver was operating the vehicle when it struck a 70-year-old woman as she was crossing at Sackman and Fulton streets in the Ocean Hill section of Brooklyn.

When police arrived at the scene, they found the victim unconscious and unresponsive on the pavement. She was then pronounced dead at the scene. Police said the bus, which was traveling south on Sackman, was turning right to go east on Fulton Street when the collision occurred. The bus driver did not stop and continued driving. He was apparently headed back to the depot at the time and told officials he did not know he had struck the victim. Both the NYPD and the MTA are investigating this fatal crash.
Pedestrian Accidents Involving MTA
There have been three accidents in just over one week involving fatal bus versus pedestrian accidents in New York City. On Nov. 5, 2015, a pedestrian was struck and killed by a Skyliner bus at the intersection of Main Street and Kissena Boulevard in Flushing. In that case the driver left the scene and no arrests have been made. In addition to this Brooklyn collision, another MTA bus hit and killed a woman in Queens on Nov. 1. No charges have been filed in that case either.
Pedestrian Accident Dangers
The New York City Department of Transportation reports that one New York resident is killed every 35 hours in a traffic accident. The department’s numbers also show that pedestrians are 10 times more likely to die in the event of a crash compared to someone who is traveling in a vehicle. In New York City, pedestrians accounted for more than half (52 percent) of traffic fatalities between 2005 and 2009.
Driver inattention has been linked to nearly 36 percent of crashes that resulted in pedestrians being killed or seriously injured. Also, 27 percent of fatal or serious injury pedestrian accidents involved the driver’s failure to yield to pedestrians. It is worth noting that pedestrian accidents involving unsafe speeds are twice as lethal as other such crashes. Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Vision Zero program, which aims to bring traffic-related deaths to zero, has helped bring down the number of fatal pedestrian accidents in New York City, but we are still a long way away from completely eliminating them.
Bus Versus Pedestrian Accidents
Accidents involving buses and pedestrians tend to result in catastrophic or fatal injuries for pedestrians because of the sheer weight and size of the buses. Pedestrians may suffer fatal head injuries or crushing injuries when they get pinned under the bus. A number of bus versus pedestrian collisions occur when the bus makes a turn at a street intersection. This is where drivers may fail to see or fail to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians who are crossing the street. Some of the common causes of these types of devastating crashes include, but are not limited to, driver inattention, driver distraction and reckless vehicle operation. New York law requires all drivers to come to a complete stop at crosswalks and yield the right-of-way to pedestrians.
Compensation for Victims and Families
In such injury accident cases, both the bus drivers and their employers can be held liable for the injuries, damages and losses caused. Injured victims can seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families of deceased victims can seek compensation as well by filing a wrongful death claim against the at-fault parties. Such claims seek compensation for damages that may include lost future income, medical and funeral expenses, pain and suffering, etc.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. For over 49 years, our skilled accident attorneys have a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a person who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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Source: ABC 7 New York