An 82-year-old man riding an electric bicycle was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on Northern Boulevard early morning on Dec. 21. According to a report on Streetsblog.org, this recent collision raises the number of bicyclists killed in the city to 29. Police said the bicyclist was traveling east on Northern Boulevard at the intersection of Parsons Boulevard. As he was making a left turn at the intersection, the man was struck by a tractor trailer, officials said. The truck driver did not stop and the bicyclist died at the scene. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased victim.
A Deadly Year for Bicyclists in NYC
This bicycle accident death, the 29th in 2023, makes it one of the deadliest years for bicyclists in New York City. Recently, New York Magazine called it the most hazardous year for bicyclists in the last two decades, including accidents involving electric bikes. In 1999, 35 bicyclists were killed. Streetsblog reports that while the city has made efforts to tame traffic on the western end of Northern Boulevard, it remains dangerous east of Flushing Bay with congested lanes of traffic in each direction.
In just one mile of College Point Boulevard, 114 crashes were reported in 2023 injuring five bicyclists, 19 pedestrians and 33 motorists, the news site reports. That is up from 98 reported crashes in 2022 and 105 in 2021, according to Streetsblog’s analysis of city statistics. Through Dec. 23, 2023, NYPD has reported 93,850 crashes in five boroughs, roughly 262 each day. Those crashes have left 50,360 people injured, averaging about 140 per day. In all of 2022, about 49,452 people were injured.
Bicycle Accidents Result in Serious Injuries and Deaths
Bicycle accidents can be particularly perilous due to several factors that increase the risk of severe injury or fatality. First, the lack of protection for cyclists leaves them vulnerable in the event of a collision. Unlike cars or motorcycles, bicycles lack the structural support, airbags, or seatbelts to safeguard riders from the impact of a crash. This exposes bicyclists directly to the force of the collision, significantly increasing the risk of injury.
Secondly, the size disparity between bicycles and other vehicles poses a significant danger. In accidents involving cars or trucks, the sheer mass and speed of these vehicles can cause catastrophic consequences for cyclists. So, even a low-speed collision has the potential to result in severe injuries or fatalities.
Additionally, the exposure of cyclists to the elements contributes to the seriousness of bicycle accidents. A fall from a bicycle, whether due to a collision, road hazard, or loss of balance, can cause riders to hit the pavement directly, leading to injuries such as abrasions, fractures, head trauma, and spinal cord injuries. Moreover, many roads in New York City lack dedicated bike lanes or have inadequate infrastructure, increasing the chances of accidents involving bicyclists and motor vehicles. All of these factors make bicycle accidents a significant concern, highlighting the importance of safety measures, proper infrastructure, and awareness to minimize risks for cyclists.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
In a hit-and-run collision, the driver and vehicle owner are both responsible parties even if the owner was not driving when the accident occurred. If the driver was on the job and/or operating a vehicle at the time, his or her employer can also be held liable. When the driver is apprehended in a hit-and-run case, he or she can be held financially liable for the injuries, damages and losses caused. Such drivers can be held financially responsible whether or not they are arrested and/or charged. If a hit-and-run driver has injured you, please remember that you can seek compensation through the uninsured motorist clause of your auto insurance policy (even though the driver has not been identified) or through a quasi-state agency if there is no motor vehicle in the victim’s household.
Victims and their families in such cases should retain an experienced personal injury lawyer right away to help protect their legal rights. A family who has lost a loved one in a hit-and-run crash can file a wrongful death lawsuit seeking compensation as well.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident or pedestrian accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent (careless) driver, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
For over 53 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and $2,000,000 in a hit-and-run accident, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole.
We also obtained $295,000 out of a $300,000 insurance policy in compensation for the victim of a bicycle dooring accident (where a car door opens into the path of a bicyclist). Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury, lead poisoning and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2023/12/28/another-cyclist-killed-in-the-deadliest-year-on-record