Steve Vaccaro
Recent Posts
OPINION: A Livable Streets Agenda for the 2021 Mayor’s Race … And Beyond
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A rare op-ed from the city's leading lawyer for victims of road violence.
Last Call to Make Sure DMV Properly Refunds Biking Tickets
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Last summer, we learned that the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles was charging motorist-only surcharges of $88, and applying motorist-only driver’s license penalty points, to cyclists who pled or were found guilty of traffic violations. Our law firm brought a class action to address DMV’s unlawful penalization of cyclists as if they were drivers. DMV’s response? […]
Justice for Mathieu Lefevre
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Change is afoot at the New York Department of Motor Vehicles. Following a meeting with advocates for crash victims, the DMV scheduled safety hearings to determine whether three drivers who caused fatal crashes would lose their licenses. The first of the three — concerning the death of three year-old Allison Liao — saw several welcome improvements […]
Justice for Allie Liao
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The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles faces a critical test on January 6 at 9 a.m.: Can the agency provide meaningful oversight and consequences for reckless drivers? That morning, Ahmad Abu-Zayedeh, the driver who struck and killed 3-year-old Allie Liao and traumatized her grandmother, is scheduled to appear for a DMV safety hearing. [Disclosure: […]
DMV Primer: Why Safety Hearings Should Be Held For Non-Fatal Crashes Too
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This is part of a series of posts on the workings of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, its role in deterring or facilitating traffic violence, and agency reforms that could make streets and roads safer. Last week I wrote about a key shortcoming in the Department of Motor Vehicles safety hearing program: […]
DMV Primer: How the Safety Hearing System Lets Deadly Drivers Off the Hook
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This is part of a series of posts on the workings of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, its role in deterring or facilitating traffic violence, and agency reforms that could make streets and roads safer. Crash victims and their families have learned to expect little from New York City’s police and district […]
The New York State DMV Primer: Why Two Hearings for Killer Drivers?
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Editor’s note: This is the first installment in a series of Streetsblog columns and stories on the workings of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, its role in deterring or facilitating traffic violence, and agency reforms that could make streets and roads safer. Many questions arose when news broke that the motorist who […]
In a First, NYPD Precinct Officer Charges Driver Under New Right-of-Way Law
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The Law Office of Vaccaro & White is representing the victim in what may be the first case of a precinct-level charge for violating NYC Administrative Code Section 19-190, also known as the Right-of-Way Law. The Right-of-Way Law provides for criminal misdemeanor penalties for a driver who strikes and injures a pedestrian or cyclist with […]
Sanity Prevails as Advocates and Officials Discuss Central Park Safety Issues
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Monday night, Deputy Inspector Jessica Corey, the commanding officer of NYPD’s Central Park Precinct, led a discussion of street safety in Central Park. Convened by the Central Park Conservancy, it drew representatives of most major advocates and organizations of recreational users of the park, including NY Road Runners, Transportation Alternatives, Asphalt Green Triathalon, Central Park […]
DMV Scrambles to Contain Scandal of Wrongful Bike Penalties
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Last Friday, New York State DMV responded to mounting evidence that it has been systematically cheating cyclists by imposing motorist-only surcharges and license points for bicycling violations, contrary to state law. The problem was first brought to DMV’s attention on August 12, in a Streetsblog post. DMV admitted that it was violating the law and agreed […]
If Police Don’t Take Traffic Violence Seriously, Vision Zero Will Fail
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Eight months in, Mayor de Blasio and his administration should be proud of how much has been achieved under the Vision Zero program. As an attorney and advocate for crash victims, my expectations were exceeded by the early progress in almost every area of this multi-agency initiative. There have even been noticeable changes at the […]
DMV Cheating Cyclists With Unlawful Surcharges and License Points
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As NYPD’s latest bike ticket blitz — “Operation Safe Cycle” — rolls into its second week, here at my law firm we’ve been getting more than the usual number of phone calls and emails from cyclists with questions about summonses. Usually the big question in these discussions is whether to plead guilty, not how to plead guilty. […]