In New York state, a new law prohibits drivers who fall asleep behind the wheel to drive again until they have been cleared by a doctor. The law was created after an accident in 2018 that left two people dead and three people injured. One of the injured victims was a pregnant woman who would later miscarry her child. The driver who caused the crash had a seizure before running a red light at Ninth Street and Fifth Avenue.
According to prosecutors, the driver knew that she was not healthy enough to operate a motor vehicle. The woman had been involved in an accident several weeks before the crash that occurred in Park Slope, which also was the result of a medical issue. Lawmakers said that the new law would have prevented the woman from driving after that incident.
Under the new law, police will include in the accident report whether they believe that a crash was caused by a medical episode. When the report is sent to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), it will open an inquiry. Individuals may continue to drive until the inquiry has been closed. Drivers will also have the opportunity to request a hearing to get their driving privileges reinstated. They will be unable to drive until the DMV decides to do so.
Those who are injured because of another driver’s negligence may be entitled to various forms of compensation. Compensation can help pay for medical bills or replace lost wages or future earnings related to the auto accident. In some cases, injured victims may not be able to return to their current jobs or work at all. An attorney may be able to help an accident victim obtain a favorable financial award in a timely manner.
Source: Brooklyn Paper, “Bill Prompted by Deadly Slope Crash Becomes Law,” Ben Verde, Dec. 27, 2019