Even as New York’s public safety officials embrace the Vision Zero policy designed to end all traffic fatalities, cyclists in the city are still in danger. Bicycle accidents in New York are still far too common. In fact, on New Year’s Day an unidentified cyclist was struck and seriously injured in Long Island. The individual was riding down Suffolk Avenue around 7 PM when a Honda CRV driven by 54-year old Glen Klimpel traveling southbound on Veteran’s Memorial Highway struck him.
Klimpel stayed at the scene of the accident until police and rescue crews arrived. When officers administered a field sobriety test, Klimpel failed. He was arrested for driving while under the influence. The cyclist was rushed to nearby Stony Brook University Hospital where his condition was stabilized.
According to NYC’s Vision Zero View accident map, 4,191 cyclists were injured in traffic collisions last year including 14 fatalities. While those numbers are far from the record high, they are also far from zero. New York City’s Vision Zero has a lot more work to do to bring those crash numbers down to a more acceptable level.
As part of the Vision Zero process speed limits throughout the city have been lowered, streets have been redesigned and dedicated bike lanes have been added throughout “trouble areas.” More changes are scheduled for the future. However, perhaps the most important component of this project is the public education and outreach arm.
Cyclists must still be on watch. In roughly 6 out of 10 bicycle accidents involving an automobile it is the driver of the car-not the cyclist-who is at fault for the crash. This means that the driver is liable for pain and suffering of the injuries sustained in the accident, unpaid hospital and medical expenses and past as well as future lost wages.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a crash, contact an expert New York bicycle accident attorney immediately. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel for a free consultation at or 212-385-1122 to learn your rights.