New York City streets continue to be inhospitable terrain for local cyclists, with two more fatalities occurring in a single week.
Jose Luis Garcia, a Bronx man who was cycling home from work due to fears of catching COVID-19 on the subway, was struck and killed by a 20-foot truck on Park Avenue near 138th Street.
A married father of two, Garcia was the second man killed near that intersection within one week. Ivan Morales, 25-years-old and also a Bronx resident, was killed while biking home from a friend’s house on June 5. Morales slammed into a driver’s side door of a Lexus on 138th Street, while driving within a designated bike lane. Morales suffered severe head injuries from the collision and did not recover.
Cycling Advocates Call for Tougher Measures
Following the two recent fatalities (the city’s fifth and sixth of 2020), cycling advocates called on Mayor Bill de Blasio to take firmer action to protect local cyclists. Joe Cutrufo, spokesman for the cycling advocacy group Transportation Alternatives, released the following statement to the media:
“New York cannot continue to be a city where cycling infrastructure is installed slowly over years in a piecemeal fashion, and mostly in predominantly wealthy, white neighborhoods. As our city begins to recover from a pandemic, Mayor de Blasio and the Department of Transportation need to prioritize the rapid construction of a protected and connected bike network that serves the five boroughs. Transportation Alternatives stands ready to support.”
Despite millions of dollars spent for new bike lanes and harm reduction at dangerous NYC intersections, cyclist deaths and injuries continue to surge. Last year represented the deadliest 12 months in a decade for cyclists, with more than 20 killed on local streets. With COVID-19 leading more people to choose cycling rather than mass transit, the risks may become even greater — even if overall traffic density is lower.
Compounding the problem is a reduction in funds for street safety initiatives. The COVID-19 pandemic stressed the city budget, and millions of dollars were subsequently cut from street safety programs.
While city officials have vowed to get cycling and pedestrian safety under control, the prevailing conditions point at ongoing risk for NYC cyclists.
Choosing the Right Cycling Accident Attorney
At the Frankel Law Firm, we’ve been fighting for the rights of injured persons for more than 40 years. If you need help, don’t hesitate to reach out to us today at (212) 888-5100 or at www.Frankellawfirm.com. All bicycle accident injury cases which are accepted are on a contingency basis which means that there will be no attorneys fee unless successful. Given the coronavirus pandemic, we can arrange for a free consultation by Facetime, Zoom, Skype or WhatsApp. Please feel free to give us a call.
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