Victim Was Working on Disabled Vehicle Before Being Killed by Truck on the Long Island Expressway in Queens
FRESH MEADOWS, QUEENS (January 25, 2025) – A person has tragically died after being hit by a truck in the westbound lanes of the Long Island Expressway in Fresh Meadows.
New York City police officials are saying that the accident took place around 5:30 AM on Wednesday. A person was working on a disabled vehicle when a flatbed truck hit them on the roadway.
Paramedics were called to the scene of the accident in order to help the victim. Despite life-saving efforts, that person was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the flatbed truck remained at the scene and cooperated with authorities. It’s not yet clear what may have led up to the collision.
Liability For New York City Truck Accidents
Thousands of people are killed or seriously injured in truck accidents every year. According to the National Safety Council, “In 2022, 5,837 large trucks were involved in a fatal crash, an 1.8% increase from 2021 and a 49% increase in the last 10 years. The involvement rate per 100 million large-truck miles traveled is up 3% from 2021, and up 24% in the last 10 years.” Pedestrians are uniquely vulnerable to the hazards posed by larger trucks. There are a number of measures that truck drivers should take in order to reduce the likelihood of hitting pedestrians.
- Truck drivers should continuously scan the road ahead of them.
- Truck drivers should slow down during times of inclement weather.
- Truck drivers should use their horns to alert pedestrians of their presence when necessary.
Truck drivers are required to get a commercial license and are held to a high standard in terms of safety. They must operate their vehicles with a great deal of care in order to avoid collisions. Pursuant to New York Vehicle Code 1146, all drivers must exercise due care in order to avoid hitting pedestrians, bicyclists, and domestic animals in the roadway. There is a rebuttable presumption of negligence on the part of any driver that fails to slow down to avoid hitting a vehicle in their lane of traffic. It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any truck accident.
- Surveillance footage of the accident should be sought.
- The logbook of the truck driver should be reviewed.
- Medical records related to the accident should be preserved.
- The police report for the collision should be collected.
The vast majority of pedestrian accidents involving trucks are highly preventable. They tend to involve truck drivers that were fatigued or otherwise traveling too fast. Nearly one in ten fatal truck collisions involved a truck driver who reported feeling under pressure from their carrier. It is important for accident victims to understand that they do have legal options. In particular, the family of any person who died in a truck accident may have legal recourse through a civil claim.
Investigating New York City Truck Accidents
We at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. extend our deepest condolences to the family of the person who died in this Fresh Meadows truck accident. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to the police. This was a preventable tragedy that should’ve never taken place.
Do you need more information about a fresh Meadows truck accident? Our team of truck accident attorneys is here to help in any way that we can. We are committed to making sure that accident victims are aware of their rights and the truck companies are held to account for the wrongful actions. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of assistance, we are here to serve your needs. You can reach out to us anytime at (516) 908-9792.
