Anyone who lives in New York City can tell you the streets are crowded. Cars, buses and cyclists are zipping around, while pedestrians stick to their routes by foot on the city sidewalks. With everyone in such close proximity to each other, it can be a disaster when one person loses control.
Recently, a Queens man proved this when he lost control of a rented car while driving. The disaster stretched half of a city block in Manhattan. In total, eight people were injured, with one 60-year-old man suffering severe injuries.
In looking at what happened, it was on a Wednesday morning when the car came crashing through a tree, parked bicycles, a telephone booth, a parking stand and a parking kiosk. With debris just flying through the air, a cyclist was injured after being hit by a fire hydrant.
The Queens man was arrested, with police claiming he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash. If true, authorities also say this will not be the first time he has gotten into trouble for impaired driving.
Aside for the criminal consequences this Queens man is facing, he could also end up facing civil consequences if those who were injured decide to file lawsuits. Depending on the extent of their injuries, compensation could end up going to their medical expenses and ongoing medical care.
In general, those who drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol in New York City — and injure others — should be held responsible for their actions. For while an impaired driver may not necessarily mean to hurt anyone, the truth is that their decision to drive drunk was a negligent one and one that could end up leading to a personal injury lawsuit.
Source: USA Today, “Man arrested after car on NYC sidewalk injures 8,” June 19, 2013