Traffic Justice
Streetsblog Basics
Bronx DWI Pedestrian Killer Gets 90 Days and Six-Month License Suspension
A judge sentenced a convicted drunk driver to just 90 days in jail and a six-month license suspension for killing a pedestrian in the Bronx.
April 2, 2014
Alan Dershowitz: Penalize Reckless Drivers Before They Kill
Noted attorney Alan Dershowitz says that to dramatically reduce traffic deaths and injuries in NYC, police and prosecutors must crack down on all dangerous drivers, not just those who kill while driving drunk.
March 20, 2014
As Lucian Merryweather’s Family Grieves, Charges Against His Killer Reduced
Lucian Merryweather was one of at least 10 children age 12 and under killed by a New York City motorist in the last 12 months. As his family tries to cope with his death and joins others in demanding an end to traffic violence, court records say charges were downgraded against the driver who killed Lucian and injured his younger brother, Theodore.
March 12, 2014
Streets of NYC a Little Safer Today Thanks to Judge, NYPD, and Cy Vance
There's one less reckless driver on the streets of New York today thanks to NYPD, Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, and Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Jill Konviser.
March 4, 2014
DA Dan Donovan: Six Months for SI Hit-and-Run Driver Who Killed 5 Year Old
A Staten Island motorist who fled the scene after hitting a mother and two young children, fatally injuring the woman's 5-year-old son, will serve six months in jail under a plea deal from District Attorney Daniel Donovan.
March 4, 2014
Will the New York DMV Keep an Unlicensed Killer on the Road?
When a driver in New York loses his license, it's up to the state Department of Motor Vehicles to decide when, or if, he gets it back. Based on a recent hearing attended by Streetsblog, the DMV adjudication process at times relies primarily on testimony from drivers involved in fatal crashes, rather than police reports or other evidence.
February 28, 2014
Will Other NYC DAs Join Cy Vance in Getting Behind Vision Zero?
All five New York City district attorneys were invited to Monday's City Council Vision Zero hearing, according to the office of transportation committee chair Ydanis Rodriguez. Yet Manhattan DA Cy Vance was the only one who participated.
February 25, 2014
Is Killing Someone While Unlicensed Worse Than Turning Without a Signal?
After the death of Angela Hurtado, we wrote that aggravated unlicensed operation in the third degree is "a go-to top charge" for prosecutors when an unlicensed driver kills someone. But the story of Orlando Findlayter suggests it's a catch-all for any traffic offense committed while driving without a license.
February 12, 2014
80-Year-Old Pedestrian and MTA Bus Driver Killed in Separate Crashes
In the last 24 hours, an 80-year-old pedestrian and an MTA bus driver were killed in crashes in Brooklyn and Manhattan.
February 12, 2014
Will NYC Act to Get Deadly Cab Drivers Off the Streets? [Updated]
An analysis by the Post confirms that cab drivers who injure and kill pedestrians in NYC rarely face sanctions from the Taxi and Limousine Commission.
February 10, 2014