NYC Releases City Vehicle Vs. Pedestrian Data

The New York Police Department is responsible for more than 40 percent of the personal injury claims filed against New York City for injuries and deaths involving city vehicles, according to a new report from Comptroller Scott M. Stringer.

During the past eight years, more than 1,200 personal injury claims have been filed against the city, including 22 pedestrian deaths. Over that same time, the city has paid $88 million for personal injury settlements and judgments.

The city more maintains a fleet of more than 28,000 vehicles and has authorized 85,000 drivers.

The study analyzed the claims by department with the NYPD accounting for about 42 percent of the claims. Aggregate claims filed included 520 involving the NYPD, 167 involving sanitation drivers, 123 involving fire drivers, and 122 involving education drivers.

City geography also played into the study, as Stringer pinpointed areas in the city where these collisions occurred. Most claims are concentrated in more dense neighborhoods with Midtown Manhattan leading the city with 50 claims. The sanitation department had its most claims in Maspeth, Glendale, Middle Village, and Ridgewood in Queens.

The city's Department of Citywide Administrative Services, which manages the city's fleet, received praise for several initiatives studying the use of new collision tracking systems, back-up cameras, rear-wheel side guards, and telematics technology to monitor speed, braking and seatbelt use. The department has also increased its driver training programs.

Read more about the report here.