For the superstitious, seeing Friday the 13th on the calendar may be enough to keep them away from any crowded street. As most New Yorkers know, major intersections throughout the city have a good chance of being crowded most of the day and some of the night. This can mean dozens of vehicles – cars, motorcycles, mopeds, trucks and bicycles – are competing for space and moving quickly. The chances for a car accident are high if just one vehicle operator is not paying attention or violates a fundamental traffic law.
A recent early evening crash in Harlem was probably the product of a traffic violation, according to New York City police. The crash at West 125th St. and Malcolm X Blvd. apparently began around 7:30 p.m. when a van ran a red light. Three cars and one motorcycle all ended up colliding. It is not known if the van was involved in the twilight accident.
Paramedics took a total of 11 people to two New York hospitals – St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital and Lincoln Hospital – with a range of injuries. Five people were in serious condition, although paramedics said none of their injuries were life-threatening. All other injuries were described as minor. Whether or not any of the victims were children is not known.The exact sequence of events also is unknown, but police are investigating.
When it comes to driving, speeding is among the worst traffic violations. A driver who is going too fast greatly increases the chances of being in or causing a vehicle crash, especially on a crowded street. In addition to whatever criminal charges might apply, anyone who is injured in a crash can file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver. Surviving family members of anyone killed also may be able to file a wrongful death suit.
Source: WABC-TV, “11 Hurt, Recovering After in Multi-Vehicle Accident in Harlem,” March 14, 2015
