New York – NYC Shells Out $17.6M In Sanitatation ‘Trash and smash’ Claims

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    New York – Last year, the city was hit with more than 1,000 legal claims and hundreds of complaints from New Yorkers claiming 20-ton garbage trucks were careening the wrong way down city streets, running stop signs, making illegal U-turns — and taking out side-view mirrors, trees, fire hydrants and even people along the way.

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    During the 2009 fiscal year, taxpayers shelled out $17.6 million to settle 1,069 claims involving department vehicles, said a spokesman for city Comptroller John Liu.

    Over the past three fiscal years, sanitation vehicles were involved in more than 6,000 crashes — among a fleet of 5,500 vehicles — that injured 294 people, according to agency data.

    Sanitation spokesman Vito Turso said the “vast majority” of the accidents “are fender-benders, many of which occur during snow and ice conditions when collection trucks are converted to snowplows by adding a one-ton, 10-foot-wide plow blade.”

    Turso noted that sanitation workers log 6.87 million hours of driving a year, and said the department has “a very aggressive accident-reduction program” that rewards districts with notable reductions.

    Still, accidents actually increased during the 2009 fiscal year by 19, to 2,189.


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    7 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    thats an average of over $16,000 per incident.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    that’s not including the fender benders, where the sanitation official puts the blame on the owner of the parked car, and intimates them not to file a claim

    Mentch
    Mentch
    13 years ago

    When I lived in Brooklyn, the NYC Dept. of Sanitation would throw the metal and plastic garbage can covers off the garbage barrel containers, onto the sidewalks. They were too lazy to place the covers in an area where pedestrians didn’t walk, and take care as to not throw the covers in the direction of the pedestrians. Also, they had a habit of yelling out to pedestrians (especially females) from the sanitation trucks. Prior to 1965, they also had the unmitigating gall to ring people’s doorbell, as they were looking for their annual holiday tip. In 1966, the Sanitation Commission stated that he would fire any sanitation employee who engaged in that practice. In 1971, I complained about two sanitation workers who perpetually threw garbage can covers on my sidewalk, and were defiant about it, when i brought the matter to their attention. A Sanitation Dept. Captain rang my bell, and told me that he would bring the two up on charges. I didn’t want to have to attend a hearing, so I politely requested that his men to be a little more careful with the covers. They were careful for a few months, but about six months later, they continued their previous habit.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    What about the poor 7 year old girl that was KILLED by a snow plow on a garbage truck?

    professor
    professor
    13 years ago

    I know a very nice woman who lost her husband to a sanitation truck. The case has been going on for years. Its unfortunately part of reality that sometimes horrible things happen. Regular drivers are also involved in fatal crashes. We all have to be more careful!

    mike
    mike
    13 years ago

    My car has been damaged twice by garbage trucks. Trying to collect damages from the city is nearly impossible. If the city was required to pay damages for every incident, as other drivers are legally required to, there would be substantially more money paid out each year.