4-Vehicle Collision on Verrazano

STATEN ISLAND, NY- According to silive.com, a Monday morning collision that involved four vehicles and that caused two men to be hospitalized has created long delays for traffic on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. Rush hour traffic directed towards Brooklyn was stalled and commuters were urged to find alternative routes when possible or to plan for additional travel time.

The two men who suffered injuries in the crash were taken to Staten Island University Hospital for treatment. The injuries that they suffered are reportedly not life-threatening.

One of the vehicles involved in the collision was a tractor-trailer, and one witness stated that another involved vehicle was a small truck.

Emergency response personnel were called to the scene at about 7:40 a.m. The emergency crews caused the blockage of three lanes on the upper level.

The cause of the accident has not yet been reported.

Accidents involving tractor-trailer trucks are extremely dangerous and often lead to fatalities. Trucks weigh around 20 to 30 times as much as passenger vehicles meaning that accidents involving these massive vehicles often do not end well for occupants of the smaller vehicles.

The likelihood of accidents increase based on the difficulty tractor-trailers have in stopping quickly. In bad weather, the ability of a truck to stop is even more impaired.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration advises drivers to remember that trucks have large blind spots. It is important to use extra caution when driving around large trucks, to give them extra space when passing them, never to cut them off, especially on a downhill, not to drive directly behind them, and to be cognizant of the fact that they make wide turns. Of course, you can increase your safety by paying attention to the road, not drinking and driving, and always buckling up.