Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf is a New York Plaintiff's personal injury law firm specializing in automobile accidents, construction accidents, medical malpractice, products liability, police misconduct and all types of New York personal injury litigation.

Articles Posted in Bicycle Accidents

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bicycle accident locationA bicyclist died after being hit by a suspected drunk driver in NYC. 17 year old Sean Ryan was riding his bike at Gerritsen and Gotham Aves., near Marine Park in Gerritsen Beach when he was hit by a car driving South on Gerritsen. 3 other people were injured in the accident including one severely according to the NY Daily News. The 24 year old driver, Thomas Groarke was arrested. He was suspected of drunk driving and may be charged with manslaughter.

Picture of the accident location: courtesy of Google Map

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car in bike laneA few weeks after a bicyclist died after being intentionally hit by a car in Brooklyn, NYC, another enraged car driver chased a bicyclist in a Brooklyn protected bike lane and tried to  intentionally run over him. The incident happened last Thursday night on Kent Ave. Two friends where riding on the bike lane when they passed a car that was parked on the bike lane forcing bicyclists to get in the traffic to get around it. The driver of the car was behind the wheel and one of the bike riders told him to “get the fuck off the bike lane”. The hot blooded driver got upset and started to chase the bicyclists. He threw a bottle of water at them. As the car was chasing them on Kent Ave, the two bicyclists made a turn onto a two ways protected bike lane on Flushing. The enraged driver recklessly drove right into the protected bike lane using both lanes and seriously endangering any potential bike riders. Bike riders took pictures of the incidents and were able to get the car plates number and identified the driver. They went to the police hopping they would do something about it but the cops politely told them off… Read more in the Gothamist

Picture from Anna Maria on Instagram

 

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A pedestrian died, a bicyclist was  critically injured and two drivers suffered personal injury in a car accident in New York City. The accident  occurred last Thursday in Queens.  56 year old Irene Lee was driving her Porsche on Horace Harding Expressway service road near the Intersection of Junction Boulevard. She lost control of her car and jumped the curb, hitting a pedestrian and a bicyclist.  She then fled the scene of the accident and hit two other cars waiting at a nearby red light. She then fled away one more time and drove North on Junction. She later had second thoughts and returned to the scene of the accident. The pedestrian, the bicyclist and one of the car drivers were transported to the hospital. The other  car driver  suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene of the crash. The pedestrian, a 21-year-old woman, suffered severe head trauma  and died from her injuries. The bicyclist, a 26 year old woman, was in critical condition.  The driver was in stable condition. Irene Lee was arrested and charged with running a red light and leaving the scene of the accident resulting in death which is a class D felony.

Read in the Gothamist  

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HitRun2A bicyclist was fatally hit by a car that didn’t stop after an accident  last Saturday in Brooklyn, NYC. The police believe that the driver hit the bicyclist intentionally.  35-year-old Matthew Von Olen was riding back home from a shift at a bar in downtown Manhattan when he was struck by a car in Williamsburg.  A video obtained by the police  shows that the driver intentionally hit the bicyclist and killed him.  The car driver first slowed down at the level of the bicyclist who was riding in the bike lane and then hit him. As Von Olen fell off his bike, the car driver hit him a second time and then ran over him and dragged him about 20 to 30 feet before fleeing. Von Olen suffered severe trauma and died from his injuries. The police are still looking for the car driver who was driving a black 2014-2015 Chevy Camaro with gold New York State license plates (see picture from surveillance camera).  Read more in the Gothamist

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Giovanni Nin, 26, was struck by an SUV as he rode his bike around 12:40 a.m. Saturday. The accident occurred at the intersection of East Tremont Avenue and Mayflower Avenue in The Bronx, NYC. The SUV, a BMW X 5 fled the scene according to a witness. The police are still looking for the driver. This was a deadly weekend for pedestrians and cyclists. According to The New York Daily News, on Saturday afternoon a 52 year old woman was hit by a car and killed late Saturday afternoon. A woman riding her bike suffered fatal injuries when she was struck by a pick-up truck in Tribeca in Manhattan on Saturday night. Further, on Friday night Saber Mohamed a passenger in a Toyota Sienna, was killed when a Ford Explorer sped past several stop signs on Georgia Avenue in Brooklyn striking the Toyota. Christopher Cates, the driver of the Explorer attempted to flee but was caught by the police. Cates was charged with  manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, speeding and driving while impaired by drugs

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Last year in New York 14 bicyclists were killed and 4,400 were injured in bicycle accidents. The accidents are often caused by other vehicle drivers who are making the road unsafe for bikers. Cars or other vehicles parked in the bike lane or double parked put bicyclists at a higher risk of accidents.

As part of the Vision Zero Program, the NYPD  chose this week, which is also bike to work week  to launch the“Bicycle Safe Passage” initiative.

During the whole week NYPD officers of all precincts of the 5 boroughs of New York City are cracking down on motorists who are endangering bicyclists. Cars parked in designated bike lanes and forcing bike riders to ride in traffic to get around the parked cars as well as drivers crossing bike lanes illegally or driving on the bike lanes are the main target of NYPD officers.

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accidents queens blvdBicyclists using the  so called “Boulevard of Death” will soon be protected from dangerous accidents. A controversial protected bike lane will be built on Queens Blvd despite the opposition of the Community Board 4. Last Tuesday night during a contentious meeting of the Queens Community Board 4, its chairman Lou Walker pushed a vote to accept a DOT safety plan to re-design Queens Blvd but without the Bike lane. Walker’s argument was that Queens Blvd was “not a park” .  The day after, Mayor de Blasio announced that despite the vote, the DOT will go ahead with its plan to safely re-design Queens Blvd including the protected bike lane. “I respect those who disagree with us, but in the end, the safety of our neighbors and our children is the most fundamental responsibility we have in this work,” de Blasio said in a statement released this afternoon. “Today, I have instructed the Department of Transportation to move forward on the next phase of safety enhancements to Queens Boulevard, including a protected lane for cyclists.”

Queens Boulevard is infamously nicknamed Boulevard of Death because it is one of the most dangerous streets in New York City. As part of the Vision Zero initiative the Boulevard will be completely redesigned by the end of 2017. The project is divided into 3 parts. The first part was completed last year between Roosevelt Ave and 74th Street. It included Queen’s Boulevard’s first bike lane. The second part of the project is the one that was partially opposed by CB4 on Tuesday night but pushed through  by de Blasio. In this phase, a protected bike lane will be installed on Queens Blvd between 74th Street and Elliott Ave. In this section of Queens Blvd. from 2010 to 2014 777 people were injured (including 42 severely) and 5 people died in traffic accidents.   In its PDF presentation, the DOT estimates that 250 people ride their bikes every day on this part of Queens Blvd. When the bike lane will be installed there is a good chance that this number will increase as people will feel safer using their bikes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSKGbSTvUEA

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During the summer, there are between 500 and 700 bicycle accidents  in New York City every month. Most of them will result in injuries and an average 2 to 3 bicyclists will die in these accidents. Bicyclists who wear a helmet reduce their chance of death or serious injury in an accident by 85% according to recent studies.  In New York State the law makes it mandatory for bicyclists under 13 years old to wear a helmet. Adults are not required by law to wear a helmet but are highly encouraged to do so especially if they are riding in the congested streets of the city.

From April to the end of October 2016 the NYC Department of Transportation is organizing giveaways and helmet-fitting events across the city.  23,000 free helmets will be distributed to New Yorkers during these events. One of them took place last week at the Brooklyn Public Library (see NY Daily News).  Saturday, May 14th, a free helmet fitting and distribution event took place at St. Catherine ‘s Park, 1245 1st Ave in Manhattan. Another distribution of helmets took place on Sunday May 15th in Brooklyn during the Bike Bonanza event. During this event, families were invited to participate in free fun activities and get free helmets. For more free helmet events check here.

Bicycle accidents injuries deaths NYC February 2016

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Heather29 year old Heather Lough died from critical injuries sustained after she was struck by a truck while riding her bike in Brooklyn, NYC. The young woman had just been hired to work at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and was on her way to work when the accident happened.  Heater was coming out of the Metro North station and was riding her bicycle on Southern Boulevard when she was hit by a truck making a left turn at high speed. The bicyclist got stuck under the wheels and she was dragged for some distance under the truck until the driver stopped.  She was taken to the hospital in critical condition where she died from her injuries after five days of pain and suffering. The truck driver, 45 year old Robert Owens from Upper Manhattan was charged with reckless driving and failure to yield.

Heather’s best friend set up a fundraiser to pay for a natural burial near her family in Washington State. If you wish you can donate here.

The picture is from the fundraising page

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NYC fatal bicycle accidentA bicyclist was struck and killed by a reckless driver in New York City yesterday night. The 26 year old driver of a Honda Sedan was caught on a surveillance camera recklessly speeding on Brooklyn streets moments before the accident. Witnesses told CBS news that they saw the car speeding on Avenue P and blowing two red lights. At the second light the reckless driver collided with a car that was crossing the intersection with the green light. The impact was so strong that the two cars careened away into a nearby bicyclist who got pinned under one of them. Witnesses ran to the scene of the accident and lifted the car to liberate the bicyclist but he couldn’t be saved and died from his injuries. Firefighters had to cut one of the cars in half to free the driver. Both car drivers only suffered minor injuries. The reckless driver is now in police custody and he is facing criminal charges.

Picture source: courtesy of New York Rescue Response Team on Twitter