Three people have been hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after aYellow Cab Cooperative taxi cab crashed into a newsstand on a sidewalk in San Francisco’s Financial District at 3:15 p.m. today, according to local news reports. For an unknown reason, the taxi cab left the roadway at Sansome and Sutter Streets, sped across the sidewalk, plowed through a newsstand and a shoe-shine stand, and struck two pedestrians. The taxi driver also suffered critical injuries.
The taxi driver allegedly told one witness at the scene that he was talking on his phone when the crash occurred. The two victims hit by the cab were later identified as men who worked at the shoe-shine stand.
We are monitoring the accident and wish for the recovery of the three injured persons.
Taxi Cab Legal Duties Explained
California law places an extra duty of care on “common carriers,” which is a company or system that carries passengers as part of a business operation open to the public. This includes taxis. When taxicab drivers fail to drive in a safe manner, both the driver and taxi cab company can be held financially responsible for any losses that occur. Learn more on our San Francisco taxi accidents page.