A New York truck accident resulted in the death of a 91-year-old woman on July 18. The driver of the city sanitation truck involved in the pedestrian accident received a summons for failure to yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian.

The accident occurred on Staten Island in West Brighton around 7:30 a.m. as the woman walked to a deli on Clove Road. The 24-year-old driver was headed east on Delafield Avenue and turned left onto Clove Road, striking the woman as she crossed Clove. She was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

Police closed Clove Road for more than four hours, diverting traffic onto side streets while the scene was processed. Officers from the NYPD investigated the accident, ruling out impairment, excessive speeds or distraction as contributing factors. They did not charge the truck’s driver with any criminal offenses. One person who lived nearby speculated that the curves and narrowing roads near the scene of the accident may have affected the driver’s ability to see the woman crossing.

Though visibility may have been limited at the intersection where the accident occurred, drivers are responsible for exercising due care when operating vehicles near blind spots on roadways. Families affected by the sudden loss of loved ones often have difficulty coping with their grief, and the added stress of medical and burial expenses may make their situations unbearable. The family of the deceased pedestrian in this case may choose to seek compensation from the Department of Sanitation for the woman’s death. Personal injury attorneys may be able to advise families on what damages they may be eligible to seek after fatal pedestrian accidents.

Source: SI Live, “Driver in fatal Sanit accident gets summons for failure to yield to pedestrian, source says,” Staten Island Advance, July 18, 2014

Source: silive.com, “Update: Sanitation truck struck and killed woman on Clove Road in West Brighton”, Maura Grunlund, July 18, 2014