After a considerable criticism by the public and government officials, it appears as that the New York Police Department is finally instituting much-needed changes to its accident investigation policy. Under the new policy, accidents in which victims have been “critically injured” will now qualify for a police investigation, according to the New York Times.
In the past, the NYPD Accident Investigation Squad was sent out only when a victim died or appeared likely to die. Because of that policy, thousands of motor vehicle collisions occurred each year without the benefit of even a cursory investigation. As a result, many negligent motorists who caused serious injuries got off without even a traffic citation.
The 2011 death of a 28-year-old woman who was struck while crossing a street in Brooklyn exemplified the problem with the previous policy. Because it initially appeared the woman would survive, an investigation was halted and evidence regarding negligence by the driver was gone by the time the NYPD picked up the investigation when she died three days later.
The new policy, which was outlined in a letter from NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly to the City Council, indicates that going forward, collisions will be investigated “when there has been a critical injury or when a Police Department duty captain believes the extent of the injuries and/or unique circumstances of a collision warrant such action.” The wording of the new policy provides some leeway to investigate accidents that may not cause serious injuries but that warrant an investigation for another reason. While the policy has not officially been instituted, the NYPD has been acting pursuant to the new policy since September, with some of the recent investigations resulting in criminal charges.
The Accident Investigation Squad will also be enlarged and renamed the Collision Investigation Squad to demonstrate that the police take traffic crashes seriously and will no longer consider them “accidents” that do not warrant the expense of department time or resources.
If you have been injured in a New York car, pedestrian or bicycle accident, you could be entitled to compensation. Contact the New York/New Jersey accident and injury attorneys at Ginarte Gonzalez Winograd L.L.P., to find out what legal options you may have. With seven offices conveniently located in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, we have an office near you. Contact the firm today by calling 888-446-2783 for your free consultation or fill out our online contact form.