As I was driving down one of my favorite streets last week, I saw an accident that had just occurred. Police were there and people were making their statements. (I'm sure it was no one's fault!)Later that same evening, I drove past the location again and noticed the beautiful shimmer of the forgotten glass. Sure, "forgotten glass" is an effective description in this narrative for its literary value, but it means more than that in this City. See, the people involved in the accident have the legal responsibility to clean up that glass:
SEC. 85.00. REMOVAL OF GLASS AND OTHER DEBRIS FROM SCENE OF ACCIDENT.
The driver of every vehicle, which is involved in any collision, shall remove, or cause to be removed, all glass and other debris which may have fallen upon any public street or alley as a result of such collision, from such street or alley before leaving the place of the collision; and every person hired or employed to move or remove any such vehicle shall remove all glass and other debris which may have fallen upon any public street or alley as a result of the collision in which the vehicle was involved, before removing the vehicle.
Pretty simple. I wonder though, what's the enforcement on this one? Usually, I can find the penalties in the Municipal Code, but I'm not sure there is one for leaving glass and debris.
So, what should the penalty be? (No Annie Lennox jokes, please.)
Photo via Flickr member mayhem.
5 comments:
It used to be when accidents occured and tow trucks needed to be called, the tow truck drivers would complete the cleanup when they picked up the vehicle.
the tow truck drivers would complete the cleanup when they picked up the vehicle.
That's what I always thought too, and I think that's what the second half of that code is saying. Interesting to find out that it's technically the driver that's responsible. I'll have to remember that the next time I t-bone somebody in an intersection.
The penalty should be a fine or a certificate proving that the offender has patched a dozen bicyclists flat tires!
There's significance beyond what the penalty is for violating that statute. The statute imposes a duty on individuals whose cars the glass comes from. This means that if someone later slips on the glass or another accident is caused by it, and if the plaintiff sues the driver of the car that the glass came from, he can use this statute to prove the driver's negligence (as "duty" is one of the elements of proving negligence).
(Yes, I just graduated from law school.)
>> and every person hired or employed to move or remove any such vehicle shall remove all glass and other debris which may have fallen upon any public street or alley as a result of the collision in which the vehicle was involved, before removing the vehicle.
Yep. That's exactly what it's saying. If tow truck drivers don't pick up the debris they they are breaking the law.
Post a Comment