Two Car Accidents Leave one Dead, Another with Brain Injuries

Two recent car accidents in New York City left at least one person dead and another suffering from severe brain injuries. The first incident resulted in the death of a passenger in one vehicle and various personal injuries to others, while the second incident resulted in a man suffering critical brain injuries, and was allegedly the result of a hit-and-run.

The first accident occurred Sunday when two cars collided on Staten Island. According to police reports, one car was heading north on Hylan Boulevard and was struck by the second vehicle near the intersection with Steuben Street. The first car was allegedly attempting to make a left turn when the second car collided with it while heading south on Hylan.

A backseat passenger in the southbound car was later pronounced dead at Staten Island University North Hospital. Three other individuals in the southbound car, as well as two individuals in the northbound car were hospitalized, but all were reported to be in stable condition.

The second incident occurred two hours later when a pedestrian in Queens was reportedly struck by a car traveling southbound down 108^th Street as he attempted to cross 63^rd Road. The injured man was thrown from the southbound lane into the northbound lane where he was struck by yet another car. The first car drove off after the collision, but the second motorist stopped and remained at the scene.

The injured man was taken to New York Hospital of Queens where he is listed in extremely critical condition and is believed to have suffered severe brain injuries. The 17-year-old hit-and-run driver allegedly returned to the scene about an hour after the crash. He has since been charged with vehicular assault and leaving the scene of an accident.

There are far too many serious vehicle accidents each year. That’s why it is important that we have a strong civil justice system to hold unsafe drivers accountable for hurting others.  Only by a jury forcing these unsafe drivers to accept responsibility for the harm they inflict can we encourage safer driving so that no one else gets hurt.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, Hit and Run in Queens, Tamer El-Ghobashy 11/29/10