The New York City Council has approved legislation creating the nation’s first traffic enforcement program that will seize the vehicles of drivers who don’t take a safety class after racking up violations. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, the bill, known as the “dangerous vehicle abatement program,” would require drivers who get more than five red-light-camera violations or over 15 speed-camera violations within one year to take a safety course through the Department of Transportation. The goal of this legislation is to prevent car accidents caused by dangerous or reckless drivers, legislators say.
How the Law Will Work
Under the law, the city sheriff may seize the vehicles of drivers who don’t take the safety course. Officials say currently about 5,000 drivers would meet the violation threshold for needing to take the safety class. Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to sign the bill. The safety course is expected to begin in 2021. Councilman Brad Lander said he was inspired to write the legislation after a woman struck and killed two children while she was driving in Park Slope in 2018.
That driver had 12 camera violations over two years, based on the report. She would not have hit the threshold requiring the safety course under the new law. But, under Lander’s original version of the bill, the number of violations triggering the safety class was lower and would have required about 20,000 drivers to take it. Lander said the bill changed because the city did not have the capacity to handle a higher volume of dangerous drivers.
According to current laws, when a camera catches a vehicle speeding or running a red light, the city issues a notice of violation to the vehicle’s owner. He or she can then contest the ticket in the city’s administrative court if someone else was driving the vehicle. Corporate and fleet cars are covered in the bill and the ultimate responsibility lies with the vehicle’s owner. While some have raised concerns over civil liberty issues, other lawmakers say they hope it will get dangerous drivers off the streets, making them safer for the public.
Reckless Driving and Car Accidents
Reckless driving is the most common cause of car accidents in New York City that result in major injuries and fatalities. Drivers who speed, or drive while distracted and/or impaired and drivers who fail to yield the right of way or run red lights and stop signs pose a definite danger to other road users and have the potential to cause not just vehicle-related accidents, but also pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents. Negligence (carelessness) is a factor in a majority of car accidents occurring in the city, leading to fatal injuries or those that prove disabling for victims.
In such cases, the at-fault driver may face charges and penalties. In addition, he or she can also be held financially liable for the injuries, damages and losses caused. Injured victims of car accidents can seek compensation for damages such as medical expenses, lost income and benefits, hospitalization, cost of rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent (careless) driver, 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, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
For over 49 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 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 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://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-city-may-seize-cars-of-drivers-racking-up-tickets-11581465413