Four young New York women are dead after a violent collision between the limousine in which they were riding and a pickup truck. This Long Island incident illustrates just how many factors can contribute to New York City car accidents; the limousine driver, truck driver and road configuration all appear to be to blame for this deadly crash. Authorities report that many negligent drivers have been issued summonses at the crash intersection in recent months because of the way in which they were executing their U-turns in limousines. The limo driver in this case appears to fall into that category, and the pickup truck driver is accused of being intoxicated behind the wheel. Sadly, all of these factors converged to lead to the fatal accident.
All of the victims in the crash were in their early 20s. Officials say that the young women had hired a limousine driver so that they could enjoy trips to wineries in the area without worrying about drunk driving. The Long Island group was struck by a pickup truck driver who admitted that he had consumed several beers before the high-speed T-bone crash, which nearly split the limo in two. The pickup truck driver reportedly fled the scene after staying at the site for just 15 minutes, but he was later apprehended by police. The limo driver was not injured, and his Breathalyzer result was negative.
Officials say that although U-turns are allowed at this particular intersection, limo drivers in the area have not been executing them safely. This driver said that he simply did not see the oncoming vehicle as he was making the turn, but authorities report issuing up to 12 summonses a month for U-turn violators in commercial vehicles. Although this intersection has not been explicitly marked as dangerous, it would appear that the configuration may have played a role in the crash.
Family members of victims who have died in commercial vehicle accidents should know that they have legal options. Defendants in such cases may include the driver who struck the commercial vehicle, the driver of the commercial vehicle or even the municipality that maintains the intersection. A personal injury attorney can provide more information about family members’ legal rights and options.
Source: New York Daily News, “Driver accused of DWI in limousine crash that killed 4 admits to drinking beers: Suffolk County DA,” Keldy Ortiz, Reuven Blau, Leonard Greene, July 20, 2015
