Black bicyclists are more than four times likely to die in bicycle accidents compared with white cyclists on a per mile basis, a new study has found. According to a report on Streetsblog.com, researchers at Boston and Harvard universities found that non-Hispanic Black bicyclists suffer about 34 deaths for every 100 million miles they traveled on a bicycle compared to just 7.5 deaths for non-Hispanic white bicyclists covering the same distance.
What the Study Found
Hispanic bicyclists and pedestrians also had higher per-mile fatality rates than
white ones – 70% and 52% more, respectively. The study found that Black pedestrians were 3.4 times more likely to die while walking after dark than their white counterparts. For bicyclists, the data applies to both bicyclists who bike to work and those who bike for recreation.
Streetsblog cites research that shows Black residents are much more likely to live on or near dangerous roads with fast vehicle traffic and inadequate lighting as well as in communities that are lacking protected bike lanes and well-maintained sidewalks.
The study authors say there are billions of dollars in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists and that it would be good to see a focus on helping communities that are lower income and racially diverse. While the causes of these disparities with regard to traffic safety are not 100% clear, experts say something needs to be done to address them.
Injuries and Damages
Bicycle accidents have the potential to result in catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, multiple broken bones, internal organ damage etc. Dealing with the aftermath of such life-changing injuries can be overwhelming for victims. It can be particularly devastating for lower-income individuals and families in these affected communities.
If you have been injured in a New York bicycle accident, you may be able to seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost income and benefits, hospitalization, cost of rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. An experienced New York personal injury lawyer will be able to guide victims’ families through what can be a complex legal process.
In cases where negligence (carelessness) has been involved, families of deceased bicycle accident victims may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit seeking compensation for damages such as medical expenses, funeral costs, loss of future income, pain and suffering, and loss of care and companionship.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
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.
Pedestrian accident victims and their families should also remember that they can seek compensation for injuries or losses in collisions even if the victim was not walking in a marked crosswalk and even if the driver involved in collision was not charged. Our law firm recovered the full one million dollar insurance policy for a girl who was not in the crosswalk when a motor vehicle hit her.
For over 50 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 and/or medical malpractice 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://usa.streetsblog.org/2022/06/14/study-black-cyclists-die-4-5x-more-often-than-white-riders/