A new bill in the New York State Senate would require all new vehicles registered within the state to have speed-limiting technology as early as 2024. According to report in Streetsblog.org, the legislation, which was introduced by Manhattan State Senator Brad Hoylman, would also require the Department of Motor Vehicles to set rules for vehicles over 3,000 pounds such as SUVs and pickup trucks to make sure they have direct visibility of pedestrians and bicyclists.
How The Law Can Help
Blind spots are a significant issue for oversized vehicles, which statistics show, are responsible for an increasing number of pedestrian accident fatalities and injuries because of their height and size. If this bill becomes law, some of these SUVs and pickup trucks could become illegal. The bill, which is the first of its kind in the country, may reduce traffic deaths by up to 20%. However, the bill is expected to run into hurdles because the federal government — not the individual states — is tasked with regulating auto safety standards. There is still the question of whether New York State has the authority to pass such a regulation.
Intelligent Speed Assistance or ISA uses a speed-recognition video camera and/or GPS-linked speed limit data to advise drivers about the current speed limit and automatically limit the speed of the vehicle as needed. ISA systems don’t automatically apply the brakes, but they do limit engine power preventing the vehicle from accelerating past the current speed limit unless it is overridden.
Surge in Pedestrian Fatalities
This bill has been proposed at a time when the nation has been seeing a surge in pedestrian accident deaths. In the last 22 years, traffic accident injuries and deaths have risen steadily after they fell for the previous two decades reaching a 40-year high of 7,485 pedestrians killed in 2021. Some of the reasons cited by researchers for this increase are the growing popularity of larger vehicles such as pickup trucks and SUVs, poorly-designed roadways and speeding by drivers, particularly during and after the pandemic. In New York City in particular, 2021 was the bloodiest year for traffic deaths since the advent of the Vision Zero initiative in 2014. This year is on pace to match last year’s record.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
Injured victims of negligent (careless) drivers can seek compensation from at-fault parties for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
Families that have lost loved ones in car accidents can seek compensation for damages such as lost future income, medical and funeral costs, pain and suffering, etc. Please remember that you have the right to seek monetary compensation for your losses if you were a passenger in a vehicle at the time of your injury crash.
A victim injured in a car accident or pedestrian accident, or those who have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent (careless) driver should consult the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm who will help them better understand their legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for them.
For over 50 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist 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, and $2,000,000 in a hit-and-run accident, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
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, lead poisoning and medical malpractice cases in New York, 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: https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2022/08/22/new-bill-would-mandate-speed-governors-and-set-limits-on-huge-suvs-on-ny-streets-by-2024/