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We see them all over the streets of the Bronx and throughout New York City. Garbage trucks, sand spreaders, dump trucks and other industrial vehicles. They are often known for causing accidents with smaller passenger vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles – especially during the nighttime hours. Service vehicle accidents often happen when drivers are inexperienced, inattentive,...

At Giampa Law, we know that construction in the Bronx and other parts of New York City is a dangerous job. Many of the companies that hire construction workers are relatively small, consisting of fewer than 10 employees.  Even more so than larger companies, many smaller companies are likely to cut corners in order to save money. This includes failing to...

Winter in the Bronx and throughout New York City can be brutal. Snow, sleet, and freezing rain can hinder your travel plans or significantly increase your commute time. In most cases, navigating wintery roads takes significant caution.   Snow, slushy, icy roads According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), roughly 24 percent of weather-related auto accidents...

According to a recent survey by the National Safety Council, the risk of a fatal crash is three times higher at night than during daylight hours. The survey also found that most crashes happen from 2 to 4 pm, midnight to 2 am, and 4 am to 6 am, when it is mostly dark outside....

This year alone, New York City’s Department of Buildings has approved $15 million of new building activity across the city, which is great news for anyone seeking employment in construction. This is a greater increase than any other metro city in the country.  Yet with this upswing in construction projects comes a corresponding upswing in fatal and...

New York City is one of the most pedestrian-friendly places in the United States. In fact, many residents prefer to walk rather than drive here.  Unfortunately, pedestrian deaths have been rising steadily for more than a decade. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), pedestrian deaths have risen 27 percent between 2007 and 2016. Additionally, an estimated 5,984 pedestrians were killed across...

There are over 200 private waste management companies operating within New York City — an enormous number compared to your average city. This means there are well over a thousand trucks navigating the crowded streets of the city, at all times of the day. New Yorkers should be confident that these trucks meet safety standards....

Serious injuries can be life-changing, keep you out of work, and create difficulties when you return to work. This is especially true for physically demanding work, such as construction, emergency services, and other trades. While you preferably wouldn’t go back to work until fully recovered, you still need to be aware of some limitations. If...

When many of the bridges over the Harlem River were built, they didn't focus on the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. They were built with cars in mind. "Pedestrians and cyclists [were] often an afterthought, if that," says DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. Only five of the 11 crossings have bike path connections, and many pedestrian crossings...

In a disturbing trend nationwide, pedestrian fatalities are rising. They have risen 46 percent since 2009 and look to be an emerging public health crisis. This rate outpaces the growth of another trend, which is the growth of overall traffic deaths. In 2016, there were nearly 6,000 pedestrian deaths, more than the total amount of...