On January 25, 2011, French fashion stylist Laurence Renard was killed when she was hit by a garbage truck near her Manhattan home. She had been a friend of famed photographer Bruce Webber.
Almost a week later, a garbage truck accident delayed traffic near the Lincoln Tunnel. On February 15, 2011, the North Grand Island Bridge was shut down for three hours as a result of a garbage truck accident with a minivan. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, solid waste collection has been one of the nation's most dangerous jobs, but recent accidents on New York streets prove that sharing the roads with garbage trucks is equally hazardous.
According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), trucks, which include rigs as well as utility vehicles, account for less than four percent of registered vehicles on the road. A larger portion of accidents are associated with commercial trucks. For garbage trucks, there are several safety concerns that relate to vehicle size, weight and braking ability. While dump trucks and garbage trucks have hydraulic doors, they also carry shifting, loose loads that can contribute to instability.
Garbage truck accidents present unique problems because of the role refuse collection plays in public and community health. When publicly owned, they are operated as part of the city's sovereign function to ensure public health. When operated by private companies, they provide a contracted service to residences. While garbage trucks are just as essential as ambulances, utility vehicles and buses, accidents involving these vehicles can cause traffic delays, major property damage, personal injury and even death.
Accidents can happen in a split second. Drivers and pedestrians need to realize that there are different types and causes of utility and garbage truck accidents. Many garbage truck accidents are the result of risky driver behavior, risky pedestrian behavior, weather, road conditions, human error and mechanical failure. In the case of Laurence Renard, witnesses state that the driver might have been driving too fast.
To improve the safe operation of dump, garbage or other type of utility trucks, governmental entities and businesses should consider several options. Proper training of drivers, proper maintenance of equipment and the installation of safety features such as rear warning sensors or cameras can reduce the risks for garbage truck crashes and accident casualties.
