In June and July, three New York City bicycle accidents have been plastered all over television and newspaper headlines. It has been a rough stretch for the City, which has been busy making efforts to increase the safety of New York City cyclists. No matter the efforts by Mayor Bloomberg’s office and bicycle advocacy organizations, a bicyclist’s life can still be tragically taken when a motor vehicle driver fails to “see” cyclists and respect bicycle laws.
On June 4, a high-school student was riding her bicycle in Brooklyn when she was killed in a collision with a BMW car. The car-v-bicycle crash occurred in Borough Park. The horrific accident has profoundly impacted the lives of the victim’s family, classmates, and community.
Several weeks later, well-known and respected East Village tavern owner Ray Deter, 53, was killed while cycling in Manhattan. According to The Gothamist, Deter died when his bicycle collided with a Jaguar driven by a 24-year-old man. Police found marijuana in the driver’s car. The cycling community was especially distraught to learn of Deter’s death, as he was well known not only as a proprietor, but as a safety minded cycling advocate.
In another fatal Manhattan bicycling accident, Marilyn Dershowitz was killed when struck by a 7-ton mail truck on July 2. Dershowitz, 68, was riding with her husband, Nathan, when the truck-v-bike accident occurred, The Gothamist reports. The truck driver had to be tracked down by authorities, as he was unaware that he struck the woman. She was loved by many family and friends, including her famous brother-in-law, Alan Dershowitz.
These devastating bicycle accidents illustrate that no matter how much NYC embraces the benefits of urban bicycling, the City’s roads will not truly become a safer place for cyclists until New York drivers “look for” and “yield to” their fellow citizens on two wheels.
If you or one you love has been injured or killed while riding their bicycle, contact a knowledgeable personal injury attorney to ensure that all financial burdens are rightfully placed upon those responsible for the accident.
Source: thevillager.com, “Talking Point: Police must release reports on major bike accidents”