Don’t Settle For Less

Don’t Settle For Less

New Protected Lanes Designed to Prevent Bicycle Accidents in New York

On Behalf of | Nov 5, 2018 | Bicycle Accidents

A new set of protected lanes opened earlier this month aimed at reducing the number of bicycle accidents in Brooklyn. The stretch of revamped roadway in Riverdale is part of NYC’s overall plan to reduce traffic injuries and deaths through smart engineering, social engagement, and enforcement. This particular section of bicycle-only road runs from the Courtland House to Yonkers and was designed with safety buffers in order to physically separate bike riders and motorists.

Automobile collisions are the leading cause of injury to bicyclists across the country. Indeed, car/bike collisions contribute to 29% of all injurious bicycle accidents in New York City-more than any other source of injury. This new project will allow cyclists to ride safer from Yonkers right through to Manhattan.

Construction on the new nearly 15-mile long bike lane began in 2015 in response to a traffic study which revealed that particular stretch of street was home to a higher-than-average number of bicycle accidents in Brooklyn. While it’s too early to see if these protected bike lanes will actually make an impact, previous studies from other sections of roadway that underwent similar reengineering have shown a marked decrease in the number of collisions.

Indeed, one study even found that streets with protected bikes lanes (as opposed to standard painted lanes) showed a whopping 90% decrease in the number of bicycle accidents when compared to preconstruction numbers.

However, despite the good intentions of this project, a number of people opposed its construction-including eight members of the neighborhood’s Community Board. Most of the opposition complaints concern traffic congestion created by the new lanes. But, as safety advocates from Transportation Alternatives note, a little congestion is very much worth even a single life.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a careless motorist, contact an expert bicycle accident lawyer in New York City without any further delay. Call the experienced professionals at the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 now.

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