New York City may be getting a new law that further punishes cab drivers who injure or kill pedestrians and cyclists. Recent news reports from the Gothamist and the New York Post show efforts by councilperson Helen Rosenthal, (Upper West Side) to propose this legislative change that would automatically revoke a cab driver’s license if someone is injured or killed in an incident where the cab driver fails to yield.
The records also cover the naming of this law “Cooper’s Law” as a tribute to a nine-year-old boy killed in a local accident where failure to yield was involved.
New York City Drivers and Responsibility
Experts have pointed out that under existing laws, failure to yield is not a violation that automatically suspends a license. However, public planners are looking at the realities on the ground, which may not provide the incentives that drivers need, specifically professional cab drivers, to be careful around local intersections. The sad cases that we see profiled in local news media are a painful sign that more work is needed, and that New Yorkers really face danger every day when venturing out into public spaces. The new law would be a way to strengthen traffic safety rules in congested areas, where vehicle and pedestrian traffic have to constantly share roads and public spaces. Tragic pedestrian and cyclist injuries and fatalities remind us that these kinds of urban areas require consistent planning and constant observation, along with good overall safety strategies that will protect citizens. Part of this is in sufficient enforcement of rules around drunk driving, distracted driving and reckless driving — other parts of planning include the use of sufficient safety equipment and signage, and public awareness campaigns that can help with major threats to public health and safety.
Researching New York City Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Cases
New York City pedestrian accident attorneys will come to a New York City personal injury case with a knowledge of local law, as well as a knowledge of how the local community works. While doing the research and fact-finding necessary to build a personal injury case, New York City personal injury lawyers will work to understand the factors in an accident, and whether other parties had a responsibility to provide additional safety precautions. In researching whether negligence or lack of safety procedure led to the accident, New York City pedestrian accident attorneys and other local personal injury law teams work to advance the interests of their clients and to secure compensation for families who suffer from a loved one’s personal injury or death.
Getting Legal Help in New York City
New York City residents can get help with personal injury cases from the New York City pedestrian accident attorneys at Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff. Let us help you to start building a case to collect compensation for the concrete costs of a personal injury or fatality, as well as the pain and suffering related to these events. We will keep you informed about a claim and work carefully and with sensitivity to help collect the money that a family deserves under New York law.
