New York politicians have agreed to pass new limousine safety bills to target unsafe limos and lenient regulations. The bills were proposed
and passed after two deadly New York limo crashes in 2015 and 2018.
The legislation includes the following new regulations:
- GPS and customer service resource requirements
- Removal of defective limos
- Creation of a passenger task force
- Validation of vehicle and driver safety information
- Drug and alcohol testing
One bill requires cars that are converted into stretch limos to have at
least two safety belts for the front seat and one safety belt in the backseat
for each passenger by January 2021. The bill also requires all current
stretch limos to include the seat belts by January 2023.
The bills were proposed after two devastating limo crashes in 2015 and
2018 that resulted in multiple deaths in New York. A 2015 accident in
Long Island killed four women on a winery tour when their limo was T-boned
making a U-turn, and a 2018 crash involving an SUV-turned-stretch limo
that ran through a T-intersection killed 20 people, including 17 passengers.
According to authorities, none of the 17 passengers in the crash were
wearing seat belts.
The legislation was passed three months after the National Transportation
Safety Board recommended tighter safety belt standards for new cars that
have been altered into stretch limousines.
Who Is to Blame in a Limo Accident?
If you’ve been injured in a limousine accident, it can be tricky
to establish liability, especially because limousines involve private
companies, outside maintenance companies, hired drivers, and more.
Liable parties in a limo accident can include:
- Limo companies: Companies are responsible for the safety of their operations,
which includes training staff and making sure vehicles are fully functional.
- Limo drivers: Individual drivers can be held negligible if the accident
was caused by violating traffic laws, speeding, or another form of reckless
driving. Because limo drivers are generally company employees, however,
they are covered by their company’s insurance provider.
- Limo maintenance companies: Limo companies will sometimes contract out
vehicle maintenance work. If limos are dysfunctional and cause a crash,
the companies who are responsible for performing regular maintenance work
may be considered negligent.
- Limo manufacturers: Manufacturers and retails are responsible for making
sure the vehicles they distribute have no defects and are safe. If a limo
defect is responsible for the accident, a lawsuit may be filed against
the manufacturer.
Diligent Car Accident Attorneys
Whether you’re suffering from a sprained ankle or a serious brain
injury, you can depend on Gruenberg Kelly Della’s car accident attorneys
to recover the damages you’ve accrued as a result. We understand
that accident victims may not always know whether or not the at-fault
driver was negligent, which is why our team has the resources needed to
conduct our own investigations and consult with medical professionals.
If there’s a chance you were harmed due to carelessness, we want
to pursue the compensation you deserve. You have may have medical bills,
lost wages, property damage, and more that you can’t afford to pay
– our lawyers can help.
Call Gruenberg Kelly Della at {F:P:Site:Phone}, or contact us onlineif you’ve been injured in a motor vehicle accident. Our personal
injury lawyers have dedicated their careers to helping victims recover,
and to holding negligent groups responsible for their actions.