A teenager died after being thrown from a horse-drawn carriage in Central Park on Wednesday, according to the New York Police Department. The 18-year-old was riding with three other passengers when the horse bolted away from its driver just before 3 p.m., sending at least two passengers flying from the careening cab.
Details of the Accident
The teenager was initially hospitalized in critical condition but later died. The other passengers refused medical treatment. A representative for the Transport Workers Union, which represents carriage industry employees, stated that the driver had dismounted to take a photograph of his passengers, an action that is not permitted.
Horse's History and Union Response
According to Alexander Kemp, administrative vice-president of the union's local chapter, the horse had been in the park for only six weeks. He called for a full investigation, saying, "Safety in the park has been a growing concern among many, and improvements are needed with respect to all vehicles, including e-bicycles, delivery vehicles, pedicabs, and horse-drawn carriages."
Video Evidence
Video footage showed the horse sprinting through the park as two people appeared to jump from the four-wheeled carriage. A second video captured the cab toppling over after clipping the wheels of another carriage on the park's busy loop.
Industry Under Scrutiny
The accident comes at a fraught moment for Central Park's 150-year-old horse-drawn carriage industry. Long seen as a quaint attraction offering tourists a romantic glimpse of a bygone New York, the industry provides hundreds of jobs and utilizes many farm and racing horses. However, it now faces growing threats of a ban from opponents who argue the rides are inhumane to horses and dangerous to city residents.
Recent Incidents
Wednesday's event follows several recent horse-related problems in the park, including the fatal collapse of a horse the previous week. The Central Park Conservancy, the non-profit that operates the park and came out last summer in support of banning horse-drawn carriages, said these back-to-back events should end the industry. "A young man came to enjoy our park and lost his life," the group stated. "That is not an acceptable cost of an antiquated industry operating in the middle of one of the most heavily used public spaces in America."
Central Park spans nearly 850 acres and attracts millions of visitors annually.
