It’s no secret that cycling has become one of the most popular ways to get around NYC. Each year, more people decide to forgo the subway and get a bike. The city encourages this trend, calling it the “Green Wave” and adding more and more miles of bike lane each year. But with dozens of bike riders hurt every day, we have to ask… is NYC safe for cyclists?
Getting Better
You might expect that having more cyclists on the road means more bike accidents, right? That’s actually not the case. The NYC Department of Transportation (DoT) has worked tirelessly on cycling safety campaigns that not only made the city more bike-friendly over the past 20 years but have significantly reduced the rate of biking accidents.
Since 2000, the rate of NYC bike injuries and fatalities has dropped by 80%! That said, crashes increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many New Yorkers abandoned the crowded subway system in favor of bikes. That sudden influx of new or inexperienced cyclists, combined with the sheer number of riders, may have contributed to this reported increase.
Looking Forward
The NYC DoT has big plans for their “Green Wave” movement in 2021 and beyond. A few safety projects already in motion include:
Increased bike parking
Expanding bike lanes each year to all city boroughs.
Partitioning bike lanes to prevent dooring and similar crashes
Four separate educational and safety awareness campaigns
If the city keeps up with these goals, it seems NYC will only become safer for cyclists, and the rate of injuries and cycling fatalities will continue to fall. Ultimately, that means NYC becomes safer for cyclists, drivers, and pedestrians alike.
If you or someone you love were seriously injured while biking, you need affordable representation from a team you can trust. If you’d like an experienced New York City bicycle accident attorney from Koenigsberg & Associates Law Offices to evaluate your case, don’t hesitate to call us at (718) 690-3132 or send us an email.