Opinion ID: 2220610
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Riley v County of Broome

Text: Defendant Garwood A. Young, an employee of the Broome County Highway Division, was operating a street sweeper on West Colesville Road in the Town of Kirkwood. Young was driving two or three miles per hour, with the sweeper straddling the shoulder and the road. Plaintiff Betty Riley was also driving on West Colesville Road, in the same direction as the street sweeper. As Riley reached the top of a hill, she saw a huge patch of fogactually a cloud of dirt and dust created by the sweeperand collided with the sweeper. Riley and her husband brought this action against Young and the County, alleging that the sweeper caused the accident. At trial, the court heldover Riley's objectionthat, under Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1103 (b), the applicable standard of care was whether defendants conducted themselves in such a way so as not to recklessly disregard the safety of others. The court then charged the jury on that standard. The jury returned a verdict in favor of defendants, finding no recklessness in the operation of the sweeper. In a comprehensive opinion by Justice Anthony J. Carpinello, the Appellate Division affirmed, holding that under Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1103 (b), all vehicles engaged in highway maintenance are exempt from the rules of the road and subject only to a recklessness standard (263 AD2d 267, 273).