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Austin City Council Votes to Research Effectiveness of Traffic Safety Barriers

Howry, Breen & Herman, LLP

In the latest update in the ongoing story of the fatal storefront crash at St. David’s North Austin Medical Center, which Howry Breen & Herman, LLP has been following closely (you can click here to view a previous blog entry), Austin City Council has approved further research into the effectiveness of traffic safety barriers. As our attorneys have argued in the lawsuit filed on behalf of the family that was severely injured in that crash, the placement of a few traffic safety barriers in front of the St. David’s North Austin Medical Center emergency room likely would have prevented any serious injures from occurring, including the fatal injuries that the driver suffered. The City Council’s recent vote is one step closer to understanding and accepting this argument, and possibly a step nearer to updated city legislation that would require more emergency rooms and storefronts to install traffic safety barriers or bollards.

KXAN Investigation Informs Council Members of Bollard Safety

KXAN-TV, which interviewed Attorney-Partner Sean Breen, acted as the main investigative team following the St. David’s North Austin Medical Center accident. The journalists created a multi-part series that detailed the crash, how traffic safety barriers could have prevented the worst of it, and how St. David’s HealthCare knew or reasonably should have known about the effectiveness of traffic safety barriers and the dangers of not having them installed. Using much of the information reported by KXAN Investigates and further promoted by Howry Breen & Herman, LLP, several Austin City Council Members moved forward with the motion to study the effectiveness of traffic safety barriers.

Four Austin City Council Members led the research initiative, including:

  • Council Member Mackenzie Kelly
  • Council Member José Vela
  • Council Member Vanessa Fuentes
  • Council Member Ryan Alter

The approved resolution requires Austin city officials to work with local medical facilities to better understand the risk factors that can be mitigated with proper traffic safety barrier installment. By October 31, 2024, Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax is required to bring forth proposed changes to the city’s legislation about bollard use.

At Howry Breen & Herman, LLP, we are hopeful that this newest initiative will lead to the installment of traffic safety bollards throughout the city. It may even serve as the groundwork for legislation to improve bollard requirements statewide.

For more information about this recent update, you can click here to view a full article from the Austin American-Statesman. We also invite you to visit our blog often for more updates about the story and the lawsuit that our attorneys have filed on behalf of the family that was injured in the St. David’s North Medical Center Crash. If you need our help with an injury claim or lawsuit, please send an online contact form or dial (512) 430-4844 at any time. Thank you.

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