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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Queens Boulevard is dangerous for cyclistsQueens Boulevard in New York City has been historically notorious for its high number of fatal bicycle accidents and pedestrian accidents. The thoroughfare gained the infamous nickname “Boulevard of Death” due to the significant risks it posed to cyclists and pedestrians.

After almost a decade of planning, the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT)  announced that the infamous boulevard is finally undergoing a transformation with the extension of bike lanes further east into the Borough. This long-awaited project aims to improve street safety and create a more equitable transportation system. As NYC bicycle accident lawyers, we view this expansion as a positive step towards reducing accidents and promoting safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and bus commuters.

The DOT recently presented a comprehensive proposal to extend bike lanes on Queens Boulevard. The plan involves repurposing a travel lane in each direction between Union Turnpike in Forest Hills and Hillside Avenue in Briarwood. This move has been applauded by advocates who appreciate Mayor Adams’ commitment to bringing safer infrastructure to communities of color.

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Bicycle accident deaths NYC Q1 2023Bicycle accidents are unfortunately all too common in New York City, and the recent tragedy that took the life of Adam Uster, a Transportation Alternatives member,  is a painful reminder of the dangers that cyclists face on our streets. As bicycle accident lawyers in New York City, we know all too well the impact that these accidents can have on victims and their families.

In this case, Uster was simply riding home with his bike trailer full of groceries when he was struck by a flatbed truck that made an abrupt right turn without signaling, causing fatal injuries. The fact that Uster was in an unprotected bike lane highlights the urgent need for better protections for cyclists on our streets.

The family and friends of Uster have been calling on the city to do more to protect cyclists, and it’s clear that their voices must be heard. The statistics are alarming: there have been 111 reported crashes on the less-than-a-mile stretch of Franklin Avenue between Lafayette Avenue and Fulton Street since 2020, causing one pedestrian fatality and injuries to 15 cyclists, 14 pedestrians, and 33 motorists.

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A total of 11,176 people were injured in NYC crashes during the first quarter of 2023 according to monthly statistics from the NYPD including 809 cyclists, 2,163 pedestrians, 3,310 passengers and 4,894 motorists. This is compared to 10,501, 8,984, 12,997, 12,920, 12,608, 11,936, 10,805, and 11,676 during Q1 of 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013 respectively. The number of people injured in traffic accidents during Q1 of each year shows how injuries first declined after Vision Zero started in 2014 and 2015, compared to 2013, and then jumped again in 2016. The number gradually increased to pass 12,000 in 2017 and reach a record high of 12,997 in 2019 due to the increase in distracted driving accidents caused by cellphones and other electronic devices. Crash injuries dropped again in Q1 of 2020 and 2021 due to the decline in activity in the city caused by the pandemic, and gradually increased again in Q1 of 2022 and 2023 as the city gradually became more active again.

NYC auto accident injuries by category Q1 2023
Since Vision Zero started in 2014, the number of people dying in car accidents during the first quarter of the year has never gone back to 69, the number of crash fatalities reached during Q1 2013. However, after Vision Zero started, traffic fatalities reached a record high at 58 during the first quarter of last year and remained high during the first quarter of this year with 47 fatalities.

While the number of passenger fatalities dropped significantly from 17 to 6, the number of bicyclist fatalities reached a record high during the first three months of the year. The warm winter, the increased popularity of e-bikes, as well as the more intense truck traffic generated by internet shoppers, are among the factors that contributed to this explosion of fatalities among cyclists.

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location of the deadly e-Citi Bike accident in Queens NYC
16-year-old Jaydan McLaurin was fatally struck by a hit-and-run driver while riding an electric Citi Bike in Queens on Monday night. The driver who killed him was later identified as 18-year-old Yaser Ibrahim, who was unlicensed and driving a BMW SUV. Police were able to track him down, and he was arrested and charged with driving without a license, leaving the scene of an accident, and having a tinted windshield.

This heartbreaking incident highlights the urgent need for improved safety measures to protect cyclists on New York City streets. According to reports, McLaurin was riding north on 21st Avenue in Astoria when he was struck by the car. The impact was so severe that it virtually severed the electric Citi Bike in half, and McLaurin was rushed to Harlem Hospital but sadly died from his injuries.

This incident marks the 11th cyclist death in New York City in 2023, with a record-shattering 10 people on bikes having died at the start of the year alone

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NYC Cyclists are at high risk of accidentsAs NYC bicycle accident attorneys, we are deeply concerned by the increasing number of cyclist deaths in New York City. According to the Department of Transportation, 10 cyclists have already died this year, which is a five-fold increase compared to 2022. This year’s grim death toll is unmatched since at least 2013, and it is alarming that the city is on pace to have the worst year for cyclists ever.

More needs to be done to protect cyclists

The injuries were concentrated in certain neighborhoods, including Harlem, the Upper East Side, Brooklyn’s Downtown, Williamsburg, Bushwick, East Flatbush, and Sunset Park, Queens’ Sunnyside, Astoria, and Elmhurst, and the Bronx’s Mott Haven, Soundview, and Kingsbridge. Advocates are calling on Mayor Adams and DOT to do more to curb this lethal trend. They are urging the city to build physical infrastructure to protect cyclists, especially in areas known to be dangerous, and to meet the NYC Streets Plan requirement of 50 miles of protected bike lanes this year.

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protected bike lanes save livesAs personal injury lawyers and bicycle accident lawyers, we applaud the recent decision by the Upper West Side Community Board 7 to back crosstown protected bike lanes. This move is a significant step forward in promoting safer cycling and reducing the number of bicycle accidents in New York City.

Cycling is a popular mode of transportation in New York, and it is essential to have adequate infrastructure to support it. Protected bike lanes provide a safe and secure environment for cyclists to ride, reducing the risk of collisions with motor vehicles, pedestrians, or other obstacles on the road. Studies have shown that protected bike lanes can reduce the number of crashes by up to 90%.

Bicycle accidents often result in catastrophic injuries or death

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Mermaid Ave where the mother and son were struck by a hit and run driverSeveral  people were seriously injured or died in car accidents in New York City this last week-end. 2 pedestrians died. One cyclist was critically injured. Another pedestrian suffered serious injury and one motorist suffered minor injuries, all caused by reckless driving.

Young mother killed by drunk driver

The carnage started on Friday night with the death of a 23 year old pedestrian, identified as Tecinna Bahadur. The young mother was killed by a drunk driver on on the Van Wyck Expressway Service Road near 107th Avenue in Jamaica, Queens. The driver who killed her was identified as 41 year old Athony Ramjit. He was arrested by the police and charged with DWI  (read more in 1010 WINS).

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deadly intersection of Wilson and ArmstrongA man died in a bicycle accident in New York City last Friday.  52 year old James Giambalvo was on his way to the supermaket, riding his bike on Wilson Avenue in Great Kills, Staten Island, NYC when he was side swiped by the driver of a SUV.  The accident occurred near the intersection of Armstrong Avenue around 10:30 am.

According to the SILive, the victim was struck and pinned under the SUV which also sideswiped another car and knocked down a street sign. The driver of the car, a woman in her 30s remained at the scene of the accident. She has not been charged so far.

A large crew of police and emergency staff was deployed at the scene of the accident.

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More pedestrians and more passengers died in auto accidents in 2022 than in 2021 while cyclists and motor vehicle operators fatalities declined. Bus accidents increased while truck accidents remained stable. Motorcycle accidents remain at record levels.

After reaching a record high in 2021, NYC traffic deaths reached their second highest number since Vision Zero started in 2014

According to traffic collision data provided by the NYPD, 251 people died in crashes in the city in 2022 compared to respectively 254, 239, 214, 199, 209, 223, 235, 250 and 286 in 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013. As a reminder, NYPD traffic collision data might differ slightly from the real data, especially for fatalities as sometimes people died from their injuries several days or weeks after the accident occurred.

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nine street where the fatal bike accident occurred37 year old Sarah Schick, a mother of two children, was riding an electric Citi Bike when she was fatally struck by a truck on Ninth Street near Second Avenue in Gowanus, Brooklyn, NYC. Multiple cyclists and pedestrians were previously killed or injured on this notoriously dangerous street. Among them was one of our clients, actress Ruthie Ann Miles whose daughter died after being struck by a reckless driver as she was crossing the road with her mom. The actress herself was seriously injured in the crash and additionally, later on, lost her unborn child as a result of the accident.

On Friday, at a vigil for Sarah, around 100 cyclists and bike activists as well a group of politicians including Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez gathered at the corner of Second Ave and Ninth Street. According to Hell Gate, Ydanis was touring the area with other members of the DOT to figure out exactly what type of safety improvements were needed to make Ninth Street safer. He faced a crowd of angry activists and reminded them that he also was an activist back in the day and that he had only been in office for 4 months. He told them that the DOT was on the job to redesign the street and make it safer.

Previous safety improvements were not enough

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