On Behalf of Simon & Gilman, LLP | Oct 8, 2019 | Firm News |
The risk of collision while riding your bicycle through Queens and New York City’s other four boroughs is now much higher and reflected by an alarming increase in serious bike accidents. As reported by ABC Eyewitness News, the severity of the circumstances has prompted the city’s mayor to declare the bicycle transportation situation an emergency. At the Queens office of Simon & Gilman, LLP, we understand how debilitating and catastrophic injuries can result in suffering, a loss of work and costly medical and rehabilitation treatments.
According to information provided by the state’s Department of Transportation, excluding injury-only accidents, the number of bicycle accidents resulting in fatalities is expected to rise to about 30 by the end of 2019. This is more than triple the amount of bicyclist deaths that occurred throughout the city’s streets in 2018.
Many contributing factors might be responsible for the increased number of bicycle accidents, such as the rise and popularity of bike sharing apps. Pedestrians, motorists and bicyclists may also find themselves involved in more collisions because of increased distractions from mobile devices.
While bicycle lanes account for 20% of NYC’s streets, only 8% of the lanes have protective barriers to prevent vehicles from steering into cyclists. Nevertheless, motorists are still able to find ways to block the lanes or park their cars in areas specifically designated for bicycles. While some bike riders are exercising a greater number and variety of safety precautions, such as wearing protective gear and reflective clothing, many may still end up being struck by vehicles and suffering severe or catastrophic injuries.
No one can foresee an injury-causing accident, but when one occurs, it may require a legal action to obtain monetary relief and get back to your normal lifestyle. Our page on bicycle accidents provides more information on how to recover for your injuries.
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