New Yorkers are choosing to cycle around the city for a lot of reasons. Some like the simplicity of using a bike to go around. They don’t have to worry too much about parking since it’s easy to find space of their two-wheeled vehicle. They don’t have to find an apartment with a garage either. Maintenance is much cheaper than with a car. They just need to clean and oil the chains from time to time. Repairs are easy. They don’t have to worry about the rising cost of fuel. They even get to exercise while they travel. However, they do need to be extra careful when riding a bike.
NY Bike Accident Statistics
The bicycle accident stats in New York City reveal an interesting picture. Let’s take it year by year. In 2018, the city saw a total of 18,718 bike-related accidents. Majority of them at 18,710 ended in an injury, while the remaining 8 resulted in a fatality. It was virtually the same in 2019 with 18,510 bike collisions with 18,494 having injuries while 16 were fatal. In 2020, the numbers dipped because of the lockdowns from COVID-19. There were still 12,450 crashes involving bikes with 12,422 resulting in injuries and 28 cases leading to deaths. As you can see, the overall number of bike crashes went down but the fatalities went up.
Bicycle Ridership in NY City
There are more cyclists than ever before in the streets of the Big Apple. In fact, the growth in the cycling community outpaced the rise of employment and the city’s population. Bike are simply more practical solutions for going around a dense urban jungle. It is much faster than simply walking and it requires less effort than running. Anyone can get a basic bike for just a few hundred dollars and start cycling. Of course, they can always purchase the more expensive models if they want all the fancy features.
Bicycle Infrastructure in NY City
The local government has been supporting this bicycle revolution through the development of infrastructure that makes cycling safer and more convenient. More miles of bike lanes are installed each year, making route-planning easier for commuters. This also encourages people to use their bikes more often since they won’t have to weave in and out of traffic with speeding cars. The city has grand plans to connect the five boroughs through a massive bikeway project. Once this happens, bike commuters will have more reason to keeping pedaling.
Common Reasons for Bike Accidents
Most cycling accidents are the fault of negligent drivers, which means that a NYC car accident lawyer may need to get involved. A lot of them are in a hurry to get to their destinations, so they end up speeding and making reckless moves. Others are distracted because of their phones and gadgets. Some motorists don’t respect the bike lanes. They drive in them and collide with cyclists. They may also fail to yield the right of way or follow cyclist too close on the roads. Cases of impaired driving due to intoxication have also led to accidents. Many simply fail to follow the traffic laws. If you get involved in a bike accident, don’t hesitate to contact a bike injury lawyer in NY for help.
