White Plains New York Personal Injury Law Blog

Hit and run accidents are on the rise everywhere and that includes New York too.

A recent pedestrian hit and run accident in our area took the life of a 29-year old Tribeca man. The victim was crossing a street in Forest Hills in the early evening when he was struck by a sedan which - according to witnesses - never even slowed down. With severe trauma to the head and body, the victim later died at the hospital.

The vehicle was identified and the driver later arrested.

Local residents are calling for changes and cited a years-long push to install speed bumps in the neighborhood. So far the city has denied the requests, citing too many cut-out driveways. Many drivers use this quiet neighborhood as a dangerous cut-through.

The community of Amsterdam, New York has rallied around the families of the victims who died in last month's devastating limousine crash in Schoharie. Even before the last funeral for the 20 victims ended, friends and community members have worked to create fundraisers to help the children impacted by the crash.

While the investigation into this deadly accident continues, many limousine service customers are questioning the safety of these types of vehicles. One common inquiry is about seatbelts, as preliminary results into the Schoharie crash indicate that the passengers were not wearing seatbelts and that there weren't enough belts for the 15 passengers.

Halloween is every child's favorite holiday. After all, when else can you dress up as your favorite character, get free candy and stay up late - even on a school night?

Unfortunately, children are more than twice as likely to be killed in a car accident on Halloween than on any other day in the year. In fact, the month of October has the second highest average motor vehicle deaths at 3700, second only to July with 3,800 fatalities.

Don't let your Halloween fun be spoiled by a serious injury. Here are our top Halloween safety tips to share with your child:

1. Choose costumes carefully. Avoid tripping risks by making sure that the outfit isn't too long and that your child wears comfortable shoes.

2. Ditch the masks. Masks that obscure vision can lead to dangerous tripping and falling down stairs. Opt for non-toxic makeup and add a decorative hat. Be sure to test the makeup for any reaction in advance on a small patch of skin.

3. Increase visibility. Add reflective tape to treat bags and costumes. Give each trick-or-treater a small flashlight to carry.

4. Go with a group. Children should never go out alone. Have your child join a group and visit only those homes that display lights inside and out.

5. Plan for safety. Discuss your teen or tween's route in advance. Communicate your curfew and stick to it. Make sure they have their fully-charged cellphones with them.

6. Put down electronics. Trick-or-treaters should put mobile phones away when walking and cross the street only in crosswalks or at traffic lights. Never run into the street between parked cars.

7. Never go into a stranger's home or car. Coach your child on safe behavior on Halloween and every day.

The Boy Scouts ages 12-16 were walking on the shoulder of David Terry Road in Manorville, facing oncoming traffic along with their adult chaperones. Suddenly, an allegedly drunk driver barreled into 5 of the Scouts, head-on, injuring all of them including two seriously. One 12-year old boy later died of his injuries.

Although drunk driving fatalities in the U.S. have decreased by 51% since 1982, they still occur far too frequently. Car accidents caused by alcohol-impaired drivers account for 28% of total vehicle fatalities and are entirely preventable. In 2016, 283 people lost their lives in New York drunk driving accidents.

The 59-year old SUV driver involved in the Manorville accident has so far been charged with driving while intoxicated and has had his driver's license suspended.