A Canadian charter bus, carrying teens from St. John, New Brunswick, crashed into a scaffold in mid-town Manhattan last week. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries. However, the accident illustrates the dangers both of driving in New York traffic and the dangers of construction work that involves scaffolding.
Driving in NYC is not for the faint of heart. It’s not uncommon for truck and bus drivers from out of town and unfamiliar with the city and its commercial traffic regulations to become involved in accidents. The sheer volume of traffic results in accidents that would not happen elsewhere because drivers would have room to correct the vehicle. In NYC, avoiding traffic accidents is more difficult because of the congestion on the streets and sidewalks and the condition of the streets.
In the tour bus accident last week, the driver swerved to avoid a pothole and hit the scaffolding erected at 41 Street and Ninth Avenue. Scaffolding fell around the bus, making it difficult for the FDNY to extract the passengers, who were teens and their parents and grandparents in town to participate in a dance competition. However, only two passengers were sent to St. Lukes Hospital for evaluation and treatment. Others were treated at the scene by EMTs.
Thankfully, there were no workers on the scaffold that collapsed after being hit by the bus early on the morning of Thursday, July 17. Statistics from the New York City Department of Buildings show that 22 percent of all worker accidents in the city involve falls from scaffolding. This accident could have added to the number, but luckily did not.
Source: DNAInfo., “Bus Carrying Canadian Dance Group Hits Scaffold Near Lincoln Tunnel,” Jul. 17.