Six Injured in Taxi Cab Accident on Broadway in Midtown Manhattan, NY
New York City, NY — June 20, 2022, six people were injured when a taxi ran onto a sidewalk and hit pedestrians in Midtown Manhattan.
According to reports the incident happened around 1:00 p.m. at West 29th Street and Broadway. A taxi cab reportedly started to turn there when it hit a bicyclist. The cab then veered off-course, jumped a curb, and hit two women.
Investigators said a total of six people including the cab driver were injured in the crash. All were transported to a local hospital where three were reportedly in critical condition.
The investigation is ongoing. No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Taxi Accident on Broadway in Manhattan
Frankly from the way this accident is portrayed in the news it's hard to see how it's anything but the cab driver's fault. However, it's still important before jumping to any conclusions (including ones about who's to blame) that a careful and thorough investigation be conducted.
I'm not suggesting the pedestrians minding their own business on the sidewalk could or should have done anything differently, but I do notice that events were set in motion when the cab ran into a bicyclist. There are lingering questions about that, like: How fast was the cab traveling when it turned? Was the bike crossing the street when the cab hit it? If so, did the rider have the protection of a light and/or a crosswalk? Did the cab have a green light? Was the cabbie paying attention to their surroundings? Was the rider? Are there any cameras in the area that could shed more light on what happened?
Asking questions like those isn't about complicating things or pointing fingers. When people are hurt or killed in an accident, it's just important to learn all the available facts. That helps ensure everyone's on exactly the same page about what happened, but also that nobody has room to misinterpret events or argue themselves free of responsibility. If the cab driver's responsible for the crash as the news suggests, his company may be accountable for the damage done as well. They may not readily agree with that, however, which is why it's important for the victims to be ready with the objective truth. Will police investigate thoroughly enough to get that for them?
