Reportedly, at least 32 pedestrians across the New York City metro died last year in hit-and-run accidents. A city councilman who introduced a bill recently enacted into law that seeks to better identify and punish hit-and-run drivers says that arrests are only sparingly made in such cases.
That distressing result owes to myriad reasons. For starters, notes a recent Wall Street Journal article discussing the city's new alert system to identify and apprehend hit-and-run motorists, most such accidents "happen at night in places where there are few street cameras." Additionally, many drivers are alcohol- and/or drug-impaired and have extra motivation to flee and avoid enhanced criminal penalties.
The new system, which was formally rolled out earlier this month, is structured to provide the public with relevant accident information far more quickly than was previously the case. City residents will now receive crash and vehicle data within 12 hours of an accident via formats such as text messages, emails, social media communications, and mainstream media broadcasts.
Would-be legislation that would render such notifications routine all across the state is additionally being considered and working its way through the New York State Assembly.
Sadly, municipal vehicles are sometimes involved in hit-and-run accidents, with drivers being either drunk or drug-impaired while behind the wheel.
We note on our personal injury website at the NYC metro law firm of Restivo & Murphy LLP that such cases can be complex and challenging for injured claimants to pursue, even when problem drivers are identified. Municipal entity-linked lawsuits can feature various required steps and imposed deadlines that are not present in civil litigation. And municipal actors -- encompassing many departments and agencies -- typically eschew settlement in favor of aggressive litigation.
Our attorneys know how to respond to that. We invite contacts from readers interested in learning about our proven advocacy and unstinting focus on securing optimal outcomes for accident victims and their families.