A global traffic study in 2017 by Inrix, a leader in the transportation analytics field, included 38 countries and examined a total of 1,064 of their cities. Inrix found that the Cross Bronx Expressway has the worst traffic congestion in the United States.
The Senior Economist of Inrix stated that every year of the company’s studies, the Cross Bronx Expressway traffic is terrible. Likewise, accidents on the road can be horrific.
Multi-vehicle chain reaction crash
In February, 2019, an early morning traffic accident took place. Three people died and five sustained injuries in the middle of four northbound lanes on the Cross Bronx Expressway.
An 18-wheeler tractor-trailer sat stopped in traffic when a Ford pickup truck carrying five people slammed into it. A second 18-wheeler big rig behind the Ford was unable to stop and rear-ended the truck, sandwiching it between the two massive trailers. The impact forced one of the 18-wheelers into a Toyota Corolla, pinning the car against the median. Three of the pickup truck passengers died at the scene upon impact. EMS transported five other people injured in the accident to a nearby hospital, reporting them in stable condition.
Steps to take in a vehicle accident
The actions people took in the first moments after the vehicle accident in the Bronx were important. People in similar situations in New York should remember the following helpful steps:
Any passengers or drivers who are not hurt should immediately call for emergency medical assistance if other involved drivers or passengers need help. Even in an accident with no apparent vehicle damage, a driver should not leave the scene without checking for injuries. It is a crime to leave an accident scene in New York State.
No matter what the other driver wants to do, call 911. Ask for a police officer to investigate the accident. If the other driver does not want to involve the insurance companies, he or she may need a reminder that it is against New York State law not to exchange insurance information.
People should remain calm and not place blame on the other driver or themselves. It is not a good idea for any driver to admit causing an accident. There could be other reasons why the collision occurred that transfers fault from one driver to another, or perhaps third-party negligence is the cause for the accident, such as dangerous construction debris left on the road.
If safe to do so, it is helpful to take pictures of the accident scene, including license plates and damage. Ask permission to take photos of any injuries suffered by others; write down complete descriptions of the accident. Anyone with medical or property damage may want to contact a personal injury professional for further instructions on the best course to pursue.