Gear Up for Bike-to-Work Week, May 17-21
As National Bike Month shifts into high gear for the remainder of May, attorney David Resnick cautions that the nature of bicycling means that complacency about safety can be deadly.
"What seems like a minor collision between an automobile and a bicycle can cause significant personal injuries or death to the bicyclist, simply because he or she lacks the protection of a car," says Resnick, a New York attorney whose law firm, David Resnick & Associates, PC, represents victims of New York City bicycle accidents in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.
The Department of Transportation says more NYC residents than ever before are using bicycles and that, because of the increased number and visibility, cyclists are safer than ever.
The Department of Motor Vehicles reported fewer cyclist injuries in 2009 than 2008, with 2,730 cyclists hurt and 12 killed in traffic crashes in NYC last year, compared to 2,916 injuries and 26 deaths in 2008. The department adds that the trend stretches back more than a decade.
The increase in cycling is in part because of the initiatives to expand bike lanes throughout New York City streets and to increase safety awareness among cyclists. The city also is sponsoring multiple daily activities throughout May as part of Bike Month NYC. Nationally, the League of American Bicyclists is promoting Bike-to-Work Week May 17 to 21 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 21.
Resnick, a native New Yorker, applauds the efforts of the city as well as the cyclists themselves. "More cycling is great for the health of the environment and great for the health of the individuals participating," he says.