Four Injured in Nassau County Accident Involving Ambulance

Four people were hospitalized after being involved in an accident involving a police ambulance in Plainview.

The accident occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Monday, June 15. According to police, the driver of the police ambulance was responding to an emergency call, and had lights and sirens activated at the time. While en route to the call, the ambulance collided with a Jeep which then crashed into another vehicle, just outside a strip mall. As a result, four of the people involved in the accident sustained injuries and were taken to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow to receive treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.

Northbound lanes had had to be briefly closed to clean up the crash. Responders to the scene included Nassau County police and the Syosset Volunteer Fire Department.

Special rules exist for emergency vehicles

In most cases, a driver traveling at a high rate of speed and causing a collision would be the one considered liable for any resulting injuries. However, there are special rules in place for emergency vehicles that shield them from liability.

When an ambulance or police car has its lights flashing and sirens activated, the expectation is that other vehicles will pull over to the side of the road, or otherwise move out of the way to allow the emergency vehicle to pass through. With very few exceptions, drivers of emergency vehicles will not be considered liable should an accident occur while their sirens and lights are activated.

For more information about how to handle accident cases when emergency vehicles are involved, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia, LLP.