A welcome step toward making post-crash analysis more victim friendly and linking it with proactive street redesign
Intro 2224-A. seeks to establish a crash investigation and analysis unit within the Department of Transportation (DOT).
The legislation would mandate the DOT to “establish a crash investigation and analysis unit, which shall have the duty to analyze and report on serious vehicular crashes. In coordination with the police department, such unit shall have all powers necessary to investigate serious vehicular crashes or any other crash, including but not limited to, inspecting crash sites, documenting vehicle and party positions, measuring and collecting data, interviewing witnesses, and conducting collision reconstructions. The unit shall also have the primary responsibility for all public statements, press releases or any other public communications regarding serious vehicular crashes and related investigations.” In addition the unit created by this bill would be required to make recommendations to improve safety, street designs, and infrastructure. The unit shall also post reports regarding its crash reviews on the department of transportation website.
See a detailed analysis on Streetsblog
Thank you for calling them “crashes” – some may be “accidents” but they are all “crashes” – and thank you for getting this unit created to improve pedestrian safety.