If you are a New York City resident who relies on public transportation to get around, you may try to mix it up a bit by riding your bicycle on the streets of the city. But unfortunately, doing so can put your health — and even life — at great risk.
If you are a New York City resident who relies on public transportation to get around, you may try to mix it up a bit by riding your bicycle on the streets of the city. But unfortunately, doing so can put your health — and even life — at great risk.
Bicyclist meets his fate on Brooklyn street
Such was the case for one unlucky 30-year-old cyclist in East Flatbush. New York Police Department (NYPD) detectives continue to investigate a fatal hit and run in Brooklyn that occurred late last month.
According to police reports, at approximately 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 20, the victim was riding west when he approached the intersection of Nostrand and Church Avenues. Surveillance cameras at a nearby business captured the moment of impact when a silver Infiniti that was speeding south on Nostrand struck the cyclist, catapulting him almost half a block away.
A witness was quoted on local media saying, “The guy didn’t stop. He didn’t think about stopping.” Another bystander rushed to render aid and possibly detain the driver, which proved fruitless, as the driver fled west on Erasmus Street at a high rate of speed.
Catastrophic injuries lead to death
The witness told the reporter that he recognized the biker’s injuries were not survivable. First responders arrived to transport him to NYC Health Hospitals/Kings County. Physicians pronounced him dead at the hospital.
Due to the high-speed impact of the collision, evidence was scattered all over the block, causing authorities to close that block of Nostrand Avenue while police collected and bagged the evidence.
Other witnesses corroborated that the driver was going far in excess of the speeding limit. Witnesses also report that at least one passenger was in the car with the driver, although no descriptions were released.
How safe are our city streets?
If you are a bicyclist in the city, you may wonder just how safe the streets are for cycling. According to last year’s Bicycle Crash Data report, in 2016 there were 4,592 bicyclist injuries and 18 deaths from automobile/bicycle accidents.
When considering the high numbers of cyclists weaving in and around traffic in all five boroughs of the city, those numbers may not seem terribly high. But for those injured and the survivors of those whose lives were lost, even a single injury or death is one too many.
Take control of your post-accident fate
While you may not have been able to do anything to stop the accident that left you injured, you do have a choice in how to proceed following the collision. You may decide to pursue a claim against the driver who struck you or killed your loved one.
Obtaining justice for hit and run accidents can be more difficult. It may be necessary to file a claim against your own insurance company if you are unable to identify the at-fault driver.
