Drivers in their 70s (that includes me) are now less likely to be involved in a fatal crash than those in their prime working years, a new Insurance Institute f
dwerner151@verizon.net If you are a reader of these weekly articles on traffic law and traffic safety, you are aware that I never write about traffic accidents  I always refer to them as crashes or collisions. In fact, I have written full articles, the most recent one in May 2019, trying to get people and news media to drop the word “accident” and replace it with “crash” or “collision.” Official forms used by enforcement agencies and the Department of Motor Vehicles should revise these forms and replace the “A” word with one of the “C” words. The same should be said for New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law, which uses the word “accident” throughout.
Last week’s article presented 20 questions on vehicle and traffic law (VTL) and traffic safety. Hopefully you took the test and kept your answers handy. This
dwerner151@verizon.net
An annual winter feature of these weekly columns is a 20-question quiz on Vehicle and Traffic Law and traffic control devices. The first 10 questions are true/false, and questions 11-20 are multiple choice. If you follow these weekly columns, you should do well, as all 20 questions are recent repeats, with most questions the same as last year’s. The answers will be found in next week’s article. Try the quiz, and see how much you know (or don’t know) about VTL and TCDs.
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– 1. If your vehicle has daytime running lights, you are not required to turn on your headlights when your wipers are on.
dwerner151@verizon.net A recent article (Jan. 1 by Christina Goldbaum) in the New York Times spoke to a deadly consequence of the pandemic a significant increase in traffic deaths. When the pandemic hit New York City, cars seemed to disappear from many streets as the lockdown brought urban life to a halt and drivers stayed home. But in a troubling trend echoed across the country, the number of deadly car crashes has soared. At least 243 people died in traffic crashes in New York City in 2020 making it the deadliest year on record since Mayor Bill de Blasio introduced his signature plan to improve street safety in 2014, according to the Times article. The spike in traffic deaths defied historical trends: Economic downturns and reduced congestion typically lead to fewer fatal crashes, federal researchers say. But during the pandemic, it seemed that drivers who felt cooped up in their homes flocked to wide-open streets.