17 Cycling Deaths This Year Spell Trouble For Vision Zero
The New York City Department of Transportation enjoyed a small victory last week with the announcement that the city has surpassed its goal of constructing 15 miles of fully protected bike lanes in 2016. By the end of this year, 18 miles will be completed.
This achievement has been overshadowed by another statistic, however. With 3 months left in the year, New York has seen 17 cyclist deaths so far in 2016. That is already 2 more deaths than 2015’s tally.
The increase in deaths diminishes hope for the success of Vision Zero, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to eliminate traffic deaths by 2020.
The changes effected by Vision Zero include lowering speed limits across the city to 25 miles per hour, redesigning streets, and imposing harsher penalties on motorists found liable for collisions.
The construction of fully protected bike lanes, which are shielded from the street by pedestrian islands or rows of parked cars, has been a significant component of Vision Zero. For the 7 years before Mayor de Blasio took office, an average of 5.2 miles of fully protected bike lanes were built each year. 2015 set a record at 12.4 miles, and 2016 shattered that record.
“Protected bike lanes not only get more people cycling, they calm traffic and save lives,” said Mayor de Blasio. Under his leadership, the Department of Transportation has constructed a total of 75 miles of new bike lanes—both protected and unprotected—so far this year.
Not everyone is happy with the campaign’s results, however. After 78-year-old Michael Schenkman was killed on his bike, his son Peter Schenkman criticized the city’s resistance to change. “Bicycles and cars don’t seem to work here,” said Schenkman. “Bicycles aren’t looked at as positively as they are in Europe or even Canada.”
So far, the unfortunate byproduct of New York’s transformation into a cyclist-friendly city has been the increase in cyclist deaths. Even while safer bike lanes are built, the surge of cyclists on the road has resulted in more accidents, injuries, and deaths.
This information presents a dilemma for New Yorkers considering adding biking to their lifestyle. The city is the most convenient for cyclists that it has ever been, but it is still a dangerous environment.
Though the number of fully protected bike lanes remains limited, these lanes are by far the safest routes to take by bike. For a complete map of New York bike lanes, visit www.nycbikemaps.com.
Sources: Barone, Vincent, “Bicycling in NYC: Record-setting year for protected bike paths, city says,” AM New York, 13 September 2016.
Dillon, Nancy, Dan Rivoli and Denis Slattery, “Death of Queens cyclist hikes city’s bike fatalities; ‘We have a dream of Vision Zero, but cyclists continue to die on the streets,'” New York Daily News, 25 August 2016.
Fermino, Jennifer, “Mayor de Blasio announces plans to add 18 miles of protected bike lanes in NYC,” New York Daily News, 13 September 2016.
Related Practice Areas
Image note: photographs accompanying our blog articles are illustrative and digitally created. They do not depict actual clients, actual attorneys of this firm, or actual events.
Read more
Beyond the App: Unmasking Uber’s Strategy to Evade Passenger Liability
When a passenger steps into an Uber on the streets of New York, there is an implicit expectation that the multi-billion-dollar ride-hailing giant stands behind the safety of that journey. Yet, in courtrooms and arbitration proceedings across the country, Uber’s primary defense line remains remarkably consistent: we are merely a technology platform, not a transportation […]
When the Safety Net Fails: What Michael Wagner’s Story Teaches NYC Construction Workers About Labor Law 240(1) & Injury Rights
In the immediate aftermath of a severe construction site accident, most injured workers focus on one thing: getting back on their feet. They assume that if they play by the rules, report the incident, and file their claims, the safety net will be there to protect them and their families. Unfortunately, as millions of workers […]
Can New York City Be Liable for a Dangerous Street or Intersection?
When a pedestrian, bicyclist or motorist is seriously injured in a New York City traffic accident, the investigation should not always end with the drivers involved. In some cases, the design, operation or maintenance of the roadway itself may have contributed to the crash. New York City has a duty to maintain its streets in […]