• 13
  • October
    2011

Recent developments such as the passage of New York's Complete Streets law show that our society has a growing commitment to making New York City streets safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. But as two recent NYC bike accident tragedies reveal, we still have a long way to go.

A 24-year-old Brooklyn artist was killed on a Friday evening in September when he was struck by an SUV at a Williamsburg intersection. This came only a few days after a 29-year-old dancer died from injuries sustained when she was hit by a Mercedes on Brooklyn's Bushwick Avenue while trying to avoid construction debris. Two creative young people's lives came to an abrupt halt due to two tragic, fatal and very likely avoidable bike accidents.

The Alliance for Bicycling and Walking reports that bike commuting has increased by nearly 50 percent in the past 20 years, and cycling is a very attractive option for young people trying to make ends meet in NYC. New York's State Vehicle and Traffic Law requires bicyclists to follow the same traffic laws as motorists, but truck drivers, bus drivers and other vehicle operators must exercise particular caution when it comes to sharing the road.

Failing to yield right of way to bikes, turning in front of cyclists and failing to notice the bicyclists are the primary causes of most bike accidents. The best defensive strategies, including helmets and lights, can only protect a rider so far when a vastly heavier vehicle fails to heed the rules of the road.

Nonetheless, the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee shares four common-sense safety strategies to help New York cyclists avoid crashes: be predictable, be seen, be careful and be smart. NYC bicycle accident attorneys have one more tip for personal injury victims and wrongful death survivors: be aware of your legal right to hold negligent drivers accountable for the harm they cause.