A horse-drawn tourist carriage in Central Park, New York City, panicked and ran uncontrollably before colliding with another vehicle and overturning. An 18-year-old tourist was thrown off and fatally injured. The incident occurred because the driver left the reins to take photos of passengers, sparking calls to ban the more than 150-year-old horse carriage business.
A shocking accident happened on the afternoon of Wednesday, 17 Jun local time, near the Tavern on the Green restaurant inside Central Park, New York City. An 18-year-old male tourist visiting with his family was critically injured after being thrown from the horse-drawn carriage and later died at Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Investigations and video footage show the tense moment when the carriage horse named "Sampson," who had only worked in the park for six weeks, became spooked for an unclear reason and bolted rapidly along the road. The carriage swayed, throwing passengers to the street before crashing into the wheel of another horse carriage and violently tipping onto its side. Witnesses said the event happened so fast that passengers had no chance to prepare or jump off.
Alexander Kemp, Executive Vice President of the Transport Workers Union representing the horse carriage operators, revealed that at the time of the incident, the driver was not on or closely controlling the horse but had walked at least an arm's length away to photograph a family boarding the carriage, which included small children.
Kemp said, "According to regulations, drivers are strictly prohibited from leaving the carriage to take photos under any circumstances." He condemned this irresponsible behavior and supported a full investigation. The carriage owner has since suspended the driver indefinitely and retired the horse Sampson from service immediately.
This fatal accident occurred just days after another horse collapsed and died in the park the previous week. The Central Park Conservancy, a nonprofit that manages the park and has supported banning horse carriages since last year, called for a permanent end to this outdated business.
The organization issued a statement expressing deepest condolences to the victim's family, saying, "This is the tragedy we have feared: a young man coming to relax in the park but dying instead. This is not a price society should pay for an outdated industry operating in one of America's most crowded public spaces." They urged the New York City Council to expedite passing "Ryder's Law" to officially ban horse-drawn carriages and provide transition jobs for the drivers, so the safety of New Yorkers and tourists is no longer at risk.