Law requires crossover mirrors on NYC trucks

New York City streets just got a bit safer, thanks to a new lawsigned by Governor Andrew Cuomo on July 18 which requires convexmirrors to be placed on the front of large trucks driven in thecity, in an effort to eliminate blind spots.

State Senator Marty Golden, who sponsored the bill along withAssemblymember Joan Millman, considers the law a potentiallife-saver.

This new law will help reduce the potential risk of pedestrianfatalities and injuries in New York, Golden said. I am proud tohave introduced this legislation, which will enable truck driversto be more aware of pedestrians walking in front of their vehicleswhile driving in New York City. I thank Governor Cuomo for hisleadership and signing into law a bill that will make New York’sstreets safer for all.

Millman agrees, asserting that repairing trucks to be equippedwith special convex mirrors is an important addition to ourpedestrian protection laws. With these new mirrors, we willhopefully see fewer tragic incidents that have occurred due totruck drivers’ inability to properly see directly in front of theirvehicles.

Millman pointed out that the legislation came in response toseveral fatalities caused by truck drivers’ inability to see peoplepassing in front of their vehicles. Moses Egelander, four, ofWilliamsburg, was hit and killed in May by the driver of a meattruck who apparently did not see him as he was riding histricycle.

Such incidents have occurred in Bay Ridge as well – a localfamily still seeks justice for the death of their mother andsister, Donna and Michelle Blanchard, who lost their lives 17 yearsago in a hit-and-run by a box truck at the corner of 92nd Streetand Fort Hamilton Parkway. Golden met with the family last month ata press conference, pushing for passage of the recently signedlegislation.

Michael McLeer, the son of Donna Blanchard and brother ofMichelle, supports this new law, but said he is uncertain as towhether or not it directly applies to his family’s case.

I definitely think is it’s a great thing to get the billpassed, McLeer said. Anything that protects lives is a goodthing. But regarding my mother’s case, we don’t know why they werekilled, but anything thing that helps to save the lives ofpedestrians is a great deed.