Firm Partner Ira Slavit recently appeared on the BronxNetTV show OPEN to discuss how unsafe roads contribute to the deaths of Black drivers. He noted that more people of color were killed behind the wheel during the pandemic, although there were fewer people driving. He also provided advice to those whose loved ones were killed in accidents and told viewers what they should and should not do at the scene of an accident. To view the segment, watch the video below: … Read the rest
Category: Car Accident
Ira Slavit Says Better Roads Need to Be Built in Communities of Color to Reduce Number of Black Driver Deaths
During the pandemic, fewer people were on the roads, yet the number of traffic deaths went up. For Black drivers, the death rate was much higher, citing the configuration of unsafe roads that can be found in communities of color. Ira Slavit, Partner, Levine & Slavit PLLC, says local, state and federal governments must work together to improve these roadways to reduce the number of fatalities among Black drivers.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), of the 38,680 people who were killed in crashes last year, 7,494 were Black. Even though total overall deaths were up 7% … Read the rest
Suffolk Legislators Sign Letter Condemning “Horrendous” Road Conditions
Suffolk County legislators have signed a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo, decrying the “horrendous” conditions on certain public roads in New York. The letter, signed by all 17 Republican and Democratic county legislators, makes note of the deplorable conditions of roads that are supposed to be run by the state. They are calling for more investment in infrastructure to improve road conditions, which will make the roads safer and easier for motorists to travel on.… Read the rest
Switch to Daylight Savings Means More Car Accidents
Daylight Savings Time comes around the same time every year, when America pushes its clocks ahead one hour. Despite the fact that everyone knows it is coming, people often take a great deal of time to adjust to the change in schedule. This shift is more than a simple inconvenience, however, as the switch to Daylight Savings Time often comes with an increased risk of injury and death, particularly when people are out driving.… Read the rest
NHTSA Reports Increase in Traffic Fatalities During Quarantine
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has revealed that the first nine months of 2020, which included the most intense period in which the coronavirus lockdown was in place, showed an increase in the number of traffic-related fatalities compared to the same period in 2019. This is despite a general decrease in traffic- or, as the NHTSA proposes, it may in fact be because of the lightened traffic. In addition, there were increased signs of drivers being under the influence of alcohol or other mind-altering substances during this time period.… Read the rest
Pedestrian Accidents on Rise From 2015 to 2019 in NY
A study by AAA Northeast has shown that 162,000 pedestrians were struck by vehicles from 2010 to 2019. That is an average of one person every thirty-three minutes, with the highest point coming in 2013 with 16,145 pedestrian accidents. While things seemed to be turning around in 2015, when accidents had fallen by 22% from just two years prior, they slowly turned back around, and in 2019 there were 15,456 pedestrian accidents. While this trend may have been slowed by the coronavirus pandemic, pedestrian accidents nevertheless remain shockingly prevalent and deadly in New York.… Read the rest
Car Accidents: Five Things That Make Them More Likely
Car accidents are among the most common causes of injury in the United States, with thousands of people injured or killed every year in New York alone. While some of these accidents are unavoidable, there are circumstances that can make car accidents significantly more likely. Here are five issues that increase the likelihood of a car accident:… Read the rest
Red Light Camera Fee Increase Ruled Unconstitutional
A recent administrative fee added by Suffolk County onto red light camera charges has been ruled unconstitutional by a state Supreme Court justice. Red light cameras have long been an area of contention due to both their proliferation and their debatable legality. This decision is a victory for those who advocate against the cameras, although it merely reduces their cost in Suffolk County, rather than eliminating them entirely.… Read the rest
Limo Safety Bills Signed into Law in NY
Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed a package of limousine safety bills into law, intended to deal with a series of fatal crashes on Long Island and across the state that resulted in calls to address the problem. The laws specifically address the issue of rented stretch limos, which are commonly hired for formal events like proms, weddings and bar mitzvahs, among other similar events. The hope is that the new measures will reduce the number of fatalities caused by limo crashes every year.… Read the rest
Nassau County Takes Steps to Protect Pedestrians During “Fall Back”
Research has shown that pedestrian deaths increase in the period immediately after the end of Daylight Savings Time. The combination of fewer daylight hours plus the sudden shift in people’s sleep schedules has the combined effect of drastically increasing the danger to pedestrians in the weeks immediately after the “fall back” to Eastern Standard Time. Nassau County has recently announced a plan that would hopefully reduce the number of pedestrian fatalities that occur as result of the fall back.… Read the rest
