Crane Driver On Long Island Expressway Accident Is Presumed Drunk

The Accident

On July 12 a police driver had to jump on a moving crane after it had crashed into multiple cars on the Long Island Expressway, Hauppauge Suffolk County. After hitting four cars near exit 57 and being spotted by the police, the 47-year-old took off in his crane. Around Exit 63, Joseph Goss, a highway patrol officer, jumped in to the crane once it slowed down to stop the vehicle from hitting anyone else. The driver was presumed to be drunk.

According to the officer “My primary goal was getting that car stopped and just keeping other motorists away from him, because if he made…slight contact, it would just shred their car apart.” Officer Goss had a similar experience back in 2016, where he was able to park the moving vehicle of a woman, who was on drugs, with a baby in the back seat.

The crane driver refused to take a breathalyzer at the scene of the accident, meaning his license was suspended right away. He is currently facing DWI charges. Fortunately, the victims in the four vehicles that were hit only had to suffer minor injuries. This is especially fortunate since the potential damage a rogue crane driver on the LIE can do is tremendous.

Recognize a Dangerous Driver

Unfortunately, we cannot escape the possibility of there being a drunk driver on the road. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as of 2016, 29 people die every day from a drunk driver, meaning every 50 minutes someone will be killed in a car accident due to someone else’s poor judgment. The best way to protect yourself is to pay attention to the best of your abilities to recognize a dangerous driver and take the necessary defensive driving measures.

Take note of the signs of a drunk driver. Teach your children who may now be driving as well so they can learn to drive defensively as well. A driver may be drunk if he/she is:

• Driving 10 mph or more below the speed limit
• Drifting between traffic
• Signaling incorrectly
• Illegal or abrupt turns
• Driving over center lane marker
• Delayed response to traffic signals
• Quick acceleration
• Swerving or zigzagging
• Driving without headlights
• Driving somewhere other than the road
• Nearly colliding with objects/cars
• Tailgating

How You Should Respond to a Drunk / Dangerous Driver

If you see some of these things taking place, it is likely you are sharing the road with a drunk driver. First and foremost you want to stay safe, and then do what you can to report the driver. Follow these steps:

1. Slow down or pull over. It might be tempting to want to speed past the driver but it is better that you are aware where the driver is rather than hoping you got far enough away to be in danger.
2. Record information. Try and remember the vehicles make, color and model as well as the license plate. Don’t put yourself in a dangerous situation trying to get this information, but this is what the police needs to get the dangerous driver off the road.
3. Do NOT try to get the driver to pull over yourself. This greatly increases your risk of getting in a car accident. Remember an average of 29 people die every die from a drink driver. Do not put yourself at risk, just get information if you can safely do so.
4. Report the driver. If you were able to get information, pull over and call 911 and report what you saw. Even if you missed a detail you can still give additional details like what road you are driving on and what intersections the driver passed. You should also explain what you saw that made you think that the driver was drunk.

We can be thankful that someone like Officer Goss was able to protect the crane driver from causing further danger to the people driving on the Long Island Expressway. It reminds us how unpredictable and dangerous the roads can be sometimes. Sometimes being in the wrong place at the wrong time can result in serious injury. If this is the case for you or a loved one and you have been injured because of someone else’s poor judgement, you should contact us and let us help you get the compensation you deserve.