A young woman was killed in a tragic bicycle accident in Manhattan earlier this month. The woman—just 19-years-old—was riding her bike down 5th Avenue around 9AM on the morning of June 16th when she was struck by an MTA bus. The crash occurred at the intersection of 5th Avenue and East 59th Street. When EMTs arrived, they found the victim unresponsive and declared her dead at the scene.
FDNY reports from the accident site show that at least one other person was transported from the accident to a nearby hospital for treatment but, at this time, there is no official word on who that victim is or what their injuries might be.
This marks the seventh bicyclist death in New York City this year. While that number is significantly lower than that for the same time period last year (12 cyclist fatalities), the dramatic difference in traffic patterns due to the COVID pandemic may be behind the shift; not the major traffic and safety changes that the City has spent millions on over the past couple of years. While there are many more bicycles on City streets now, the number of automobiles is much lower.
The bus driver who was operating the MTA vehicle at the time of the fatal bicycle accident in New York City, stayed at the scene of the crime and was allegedly cooperating with police investigators from the Highway Patrol Collision Investigation Squad. Criminal charges—though possible—are not likely judging from the response to similar accidents in the past.
If you or a loved one has been injured while riding or was killed by a careless driver, you need experienced legal help to get the compensation you deserve. This includes pain and suffering for your injuries, unpaid medical expenses, funeral expenses and lost time from work. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 to speak with a New York City bicycle accident attorney today.