Giardina v. Avis Rent A Car, Inc.

OPINION OF THE COURT

Edward J. Greenfield, J.

On April 29, 1981, a little after 5:00 p.m., Mrs. Elaine Kaduson, driving a Cutlass sedan, exited a parking lot on 17th Street in Manhattan, lurched forward, and allegedly unable to control the car, turned the wrong way on 17th Street, turned north into the face of southbound traffic on Seventh Avenue, dodged oncoming cars, and went up on to the sidewalk at 18th Street. She continued at high speed until the car was stopped by collision with a pole at 20th Street. As she careened up the sidewalks, she struck two pedestrians, one of whom died on the…