When fire trucks are responding to emergency calls, they obviously tend to move at a higher rate of speed than other vehicles in the area.  This is one of the reasons that these vehicles have lights and sirens.  However, these types of emergency vehicles still have rules and regulations that need to be followed even in the event of an emergency so that safety is not jeopardized.  Unfortunately, early reports indicate that these regulations may not have been followed in a Staten Island car accident yesterday that killed one person and injured 15 others when a fire truck collided with a van.

According to reports, this Staten Island car accident occurred yesterday when the driver of a fire truck from Ladder 81 was responding to an emergency and was headed down Richmond Road toward the Staten Island Expressway.  At the same time, a van carrying adult residents of a state-run group home was attempting to turn left onto Richmond Road from Burgher Avenue.  According to witnesses, the fire truck did not completely stop at a red light as it was supposed to do and collided on the driver's side with the van.  One person was killed in the crash and 15 others were injured, two of them critically.  Police are still investigating the incident and have yet to release any names of those involved.

New York Car Accident Statistics

First and foremost, we'd like to offer our most sincere condolences to the family and friends of the person who was killed, and we hope that the people who were injured are able to survive the harm they have suffered and get back into their lives soon.  In addition, this Staten Island car accident will now become part of the overall statistics regarding New York car accidents.  Every year, 187,000 people are injured and 1,200 people are killed in these occurrences.

New York Personal Injury Lawyers

If the initial reports are correct and the driver of the fire truck was at fault, it could lead to the filing of claims with the city regarding the damages suffered by those injured and by the family of the man who was killed.  If these claims are not accepted by the city, it could lead to the filing of a slew of New York personal injury lawsuits as well as a New York wrongful death lawsuit by the family of the man who was killed.

If you or someone you love has been injured or worse in a crash, you need to seek the help of New York car accident lawyers who have been holding those responsible for this type of harm accountable for many years.  Contact Fitzgerald & Fitzgerald today to schedule a free initial consultation.