Order reversed, with one bill of costs against defendants Automotive Rentals, Inc., Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc., and Linda Gravitt, and motion granted.
Although the trial court's discretion in determining a motion for a joint trial is wide, the interests of justice and judicial economy are better served by joint trials wherever possible (Mideal Homes Corp. v L C Concrete Work, 90 A.D.2d 789; see also, Import Alley v Mid-Island Shopping Plaza, 103 A.D.2d 797, 798; Mel-Stu Constr. Corp. v Melwood Constr. Corp., 101 A.D.2d 809, 811). Therefore, we substitute our discretion for that of Special Term by granting plaintiff's motion for a joint trial of two personal injury actions arising out of two separate automobile accidents which occurred less than 10 months apart. These actions present a common issue of fact (CPLR 602 [a]), i.e., the extent to which plaintiff's injuries were caused by the negligence of the defendants in each case (see, Thayer v Collett, 41 A.D.2d 581; Wyant v Jensen, 25 A.D.2d 388; Potter v Clark, 19 A.D.2d 585). Lazer, J.P., Bracken, Weinstein and Kunzeman, JJ., concur.