'We have to make it right.' Families plead for changes in wake of fatal 2015 East End limo crash

Monday marked seven years since four women were killed and four others were seriously injured in a limousine crash in Cutchogue.

News 12 Staff

Jul 18, 2022, 10:01 PM

Updated 874 days ago

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Monday marked seven years since four women were killed and four others were seriously injured in a limousine crash in Cutchogue.
The eight women rented a limo to go out east on a winery tour in 2015. Their limo was T-boned by a pickup truck as it attempted to make a U-turn.
Nancy DiMonte, whose daughter Joelle survived the crash, is hoping that the accident will not be in vain.
"Something is not right here in New York, and we have to make it right," DiMonte says.
Following the accident, New York state enacted several laws to make limos safer. The laws increase penalties for illegal U-turns, require limo drivers to obtain a commercial driver's license and require all stretch limos to have front and rear seatbelts.
The families are fighting for more safety measures, which is why DiMonte joined the governor's Limo Safety Taskforce.
Bob Dempsey, of White State Limo in New Hyde Park, says his vehicles are inspected twice a year by New York state Department of Transportation inspectors. The proof is placed in the front and back windows. He encouraged passengers to talk to their drivers and ask them questions about their license and vehicle inspections.
"These are questions that we have no problem answering," he said.
Paul Schulman, whose daughter Brittney died in the Cutchogue crash, says he wishes that these safety measures were put in place before the accident that took his daughter's life.
"I just want everyone to know to love your children, do everything you can for them because like I've learned, it can change in a minute," Schulman says.