Articles Posted in Bicycle Accidents

Cyclists in Somerville are being held accountable for their behavior and officers are tracking them down for not following the rules of the road. Now, cyclists are being ticketed for violating traffic rules. Enforcement efforts have been ramped up to help to reduce the risks of bicycle accidents in Somerville and elsewhere in the area.

Those who are ticketed will be required to fork over info, including their name and address, to police officers. Some aren’t surprised by the news though, saying bicyclists should and have been following the rules of the road all along.

“This isn’t really news,” said the executive director of MassBike, David Watson. “This is not the first community in Massachusetts to enforce traffic laws for bicyclists.”

Our Boston bicycle accident lawyers understand that bicyclists are required to follow the same rules of the road as motorists. According to surveys, most bicyclists know and follow the rules of the road, but there’s always an exception and those exceptions are making our roadways dangerous for everyone.

Watson says that targeted enforcement isn’t really fair and that everyone should be targeted and held accountable for travel along our roadways. He adds though, that it’s worth a shot if it can help to make our roadways safer for all. The truth of the matter is that motorists are responsible for the vast majority of accidents involving cyclists.

Watson argues that most cyclists are in fact following the rules of the road, but he says that it’s those select few that are running wild that are ruining it for everyone and giving cyclists a bad name.

To help to spread the word about the importance of safe biking habits, officials with MassBike continue to push their “Same Roads, Same Rules” program. This is a program that’s aimed at both cyclists and motorists and reminds them that the road is there for everyone and we need to share it accordingly to preserve roadway safety. Watson says that targeting the behavior of cyclists without targeting motorists as well is virtually pointless. Everyone needs to be the target and treated equally.

According to a recent study, conducted by MassBike, nearly 90 percent of bicyclists know the rules of the road regarding bicycling in Massachusetts. On the other hand, only about 50 percent of motorists knew them. For this reason, MassBike and Watson are hoping that the safety campaign will reach more motorists, and bicyclists, than ever before and will be able to help to keep everyone safe on our roadways. These two forms of transportation should be able to ride in unison along our roadways. It just takes a little effort and awareness.

According to Boston Bikes, nearly 40 percent of bicycle accidents involve a vehicle and about 5 percent of accidents involve a pedestrian. In the city of Boston, most bicycle accidents happen along Massachusetts Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue.
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The Hubway is now nine-months old and offers roughly 600 bikes at more than 60 stations to residents and visitors across the city of Boston.

Bicycling advocates say there’s one thing it’s missing though – helmets. This is probably the main reason why only about 20 percent of bikers in the city wear a helmet while biking. A recent study, conducted by experts at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, looked at more than 3,000 cyclists in both the Boston and the DC area and concluded that bike-share customers were about twice as likely to bike without a helmet as those with a personal bike. Experts say that these statistics are putting bikers at a higher risk for a serious head injury in the event of a bicycling accident in Boston and elsewhere, according to the Boston Globe.

“It’s often more of a spur of the moment decision to use a bike share, and riders often find themselves without helmets,” said study author Dr. Christopher Fischer, Beth Israel Deaconess emergency room physician.

Our Boston bicycling accident lawyers understand that the number of Hubway users with helmets may even be lower, according to previous Boston studies. Previous studies determined that less than a third of Hubway users wore a helmet. In 2009, there were more than 50,000 bike accident-related head injuries and nearly 650 fatal bicycling accidents that happened across the United States. Researchers believe that helmet use can actually decrease the risks for serious brain injury in the event of an accident by as much as 88 percent.

Fischer says that there are a large number of accidents that happen because bikers fall off of their bike because of various traffic and bike-related accidents and victims suffer anything from a little bump to a severe and traumatic head injury, and in some cases even death. He adds that helmets may not be able to protect riders in every situation, like being hit by a bus, but he says that the pros outweigh the cons and that this protection is better than none.

According to state law, bikers under the age of 12-years-old have to wear a helmet while riding a bike. Like other states, there are no laws in the books that require older bikers to wear a helmet.

According to a recent study from undergraduate students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, helmets would be beneficial if they were available to Hubway riders. The students even developed a prototype, called HelmetHub, that would offer helmets to Hubway Riders. The helmets were adjustable and would fit most heads. The helmets would be distributed by a touch screen vending machine-like device that would work much like the bike-sharing devices. The helmets could be rented and returned to any other kiosk within the city. Officials with the City of Boston expressed a little interest in the prototype, but ultimately say that issues regarding sanitation would be a top concern to overcome before making these helmets available to all Hubway users.
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Keep an eye out for the new signs in Boston. Recently, the Boston Transportation Department started installing 90 Bicycle Wayfinding at intersections in the Downtown area to help bicyclists navigate their way to popular Boston sites.

These signs are to help bicyclists stay on the safe route to their destinations and to help prevent bicycling accidents in Boston, according to the City of Boston.

“The installation of these new signs is yet one more step in our ongoing effort to ensure that Boston is easily accessible for cyclists, said Thomas M. Menino, the city’s Mayor.

Our Boston bicycle accident lawyers understand that officials in the city urge residents and visitors to take advantage of the convenient, healthy and efficient form of transportation to get to and from their citywide destinations. For that reason, officials within Boston are working to make roadways safer for these travelers.

With the new white and green signs, smaller than your average street signs, bicyclists will be easily pointed in the right direction to some of the most popular sites in the city. The signs will be easy to recognize, too. They will have a small bicycle logo on them as well as the names of popular Boston destinations and the miles needed to go to get to that specific location. The tips of these small signs are shaped as arrows to help lead bicyclists in the right direction and to reduce confusion.

Some of the signs offer specific directional information to get to a number of hot-spot destinations. All of the signs were fabricated in-house and are being installed by officials with the Boston Transportation Department. By keeping the entire project local, the Transportation Department only had to shell out about $400 for the entire thing. It’s expected to be completed within the next couple of weeks.

Some of the destinations navigated by the new signs:

-Cambridge
-Government Center
-Park Street
-Faneuil Hall
-The New England Aquarium
-North Station
-South Station
Kristopher Carter with the Boston Bikes Program says that cycling throughout the city of Boston has come a long way. He says bikers and transportation officials have been able to gain roughly 50 miles of bike lanes in addition to hundreds of bike racks. He says bikers can now enjoy the Hubway system and more bikers than ever are hitting our city’s roadways because of it. He says that the signs will help to advance the cycling community into the area and help bikers to get to and from their destinations safely.

Thomas J. Tinlin, the Boston Transportation Commissioner, says that all of these Wayfinding signs are a big step for cyclists in the city of Boston. He says it’s an excellent way to get more people out of their vehicles and onto a bicycle, reducing traffic, saving our environment, saving money and getting excellent exercise.
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The Boston Bikes Annual Report was recently released by Mayor Menino. Guess what? Boston’s biking initiatives have been a success. According to Mayor Menino, the city is already planning to continue growth within the city’s successful program. This program is helping to provide safer and more convenient areas for riding bikes in the city. These programs are increasing ridership and reducing the risks for bicycle accidents in Boston.

“Boston Bikes” was launched in 2007 by Mayor Menino. The goal of the program was to make Boston one of the best bicycling cities in the world. Just a few years later, our city received attention for being one of the greatest cities in the country for cycling. Some of the highlights of our programs were the 50th mile of bike lanes that was recently installed along Massachusetts Avenue, the success of the New Balance’s Hubway and the award of a “silver” level bike-friendly area from the League of American Bicyclists.

Our Massachusetts bicycle accident attorneys understand that the car may no longer be the king in Boston. Our city is well on its way to becoming one of the best cycling cities in the U.S. We have to remember though, that with more cyclists come more risks for accidents. With the improvements to our roadways and bike lanes, officials are working to make our roadways safer for everyone. But accidents still happen and our roadways require the utmost caution from all travelers.

Last July, Mayor Menino launched the Hubway bike sharing program. This program consists of about 60 stations with roughly 600 bikes that were available for use across the city. During its first 12 months in operation, residents and visitors used the Hubway bikes for more than 140,000 trips through the city. Because the program was so successful, a number of our neighboring cities are looking to join in on the Hubway system. Boston is even looking to add more locations in 2012.

The City of Boston and Mayor Menino have taken some large strides towards improving the city’s biking infrastructure. In 2012, we’ve already seen bike lanes installed on Commonwealth and Massachusetts Avenues. These were the two streets that were previously noted for having the first- and second-highest cyclist accident rates in the city. Now, Boston has over 50 miles of bike lanes, and we’re proud of it.

Our city is not done expanding either. In 2012, we can also expect biking to be offered as a fun, accessible and healthy activity for residents and visitors of all ages. The Boston Centers for Youth and Families, Boston’s Community Bike Programs, the Boston city’s Authority, Boston Centers for Youth and Families and a number of community partners were able to donate more than 1,000 bikes to low-income families. These organizations were also provided hands-on bicycle training for nearly 10,000 youths. Lastly, the mayor’s signature bike events were able to bring about 5,000 bicyclists to the streets of Boston.
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As our Boston Personal Injury Attorneys recently reported, the New Balance Hubway Bike Sharing Program did well last year and officials are thrilled with the recognition that our city has received for being such an excellent biking city. Residents and visitors seem to be taking advantage of this convenient form of transportation. In 2011, there were about 60 stations and about 600 bikes within the program. The Hubway will be rolling out again this month after its winter shutdown. Just a few weeks ago, workers started to re-install some of the kiosks throughout Boston, according to the Boston Globe.

Nicole Freedman, who is in charge of the Boston Bikes program, says that there will be the same number of bikes and locations throughout the city. With cyclists back on our roadways, some worry that the risks for bicycling accidents in Boston will skyrocket. Others are anticipating the reduction in the risks for car accidents in the area.

Our Boston bicycle accident attorneys would like to inform residents that a few locations of the kiosks are changing as officials set up for this year’s program. To help to eliminate confusion, residents are asked to check out Hubway Location Map. We would also like to remind residents that there are about 40 stations that will be located on either sidewalks or private property. Just remain aware of your surroundings and keep safety as a top priority. While bicycling is becoming more and more popular in the city every year, there are still significant risks for accidents because of the city’s busy travel trends. Be safe and enjoy.

The other 20 of the stations of the Boston program are located either on curb-side parking spaces or on roadways. These locations should be up and running shortly after St. Patrick’s Day.

Wait! That’s not all. Officials are announcing that there are going to be about 30 more stations and about 300 more bikes that will debut with this year’s launch in Cambridge and Somerville. Those two cities are still in the process of finalizing plans with the operator on Hubway, Alta Bicycle Share. If everything goes as planned, the Hubway system will be expanding north of the Charles River by the summer. These plans could potentially change if we experience inclement weather though.

With our seasonably-warm weather we experienced last year, residents are excited to launch this year’s program. Some with the program wish it would have stayed active a little longer. That was the first year of the program though, and officials are learning.

With the plans that were in place, the program started packing up and shutting down in November to prepare for the winter.

During the first four months of the program last year, there where were nearly 150,000 trips that were recorded.

In this bike-sharing program, users can rent bike from various spots around the city, at automated stations, and can return them to any other kiosk. This year, the program is expanding to more cities and expecting even more users.
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Our roads pose a gauntlet of risks for almost everyone who shares them.

As such, the Massachusetts Highway Safety Division is urging motorists at the start of 2012 to remind residents of the potential dangers to bicyclists, motorcyclists, car and truck drivers, parents, pedestrians and teens, with the goal of reducing the dangers on the road for everyone.

It’s an all-encompassing effort that our Boston personal injury attorneys want to expand upon.

Our Boston Personal Injury Attorneys recently told you about an article discussing the risks of accidents along the dangerous intersection of Vassar Street and Massachusetts Avenue. We discussed the actions that local officials are studying to make these roadways even safer. But that response isn’t enough, according to city authorities.

The Mayor of Boston and Nicole Freedman, the Director of Bicycle Programs for the City of Boston have submitted a written response to that original article, posted in the Boston Globe. Freedman fired back against the article’s assertion that not enough has been done to identify problem areas in the state. Freedman further responded to criticism that not enough action has been taken by officials in Boston and Cambridge to make these areas safer for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Our Boston bicycle accident lawyers understand that officials have installed bike lanes along both Commonwealth and Massachusetts Avenues. Yet these two roadways still rank in as the two most dangerous areas in the city for bicycle accidents. Regardless of what safety measures are taken to improve travel along our roadways, bicyclists and motorists are asked to practice safe traveling habits. Driver and cyclist attention and safety skills are our best bets to prevent bicycle accidents.

According to Freedman and the Mayor, there have already been a number of precautionary steps taken in the city to help keep bicyclists safe. Before the city launched the New Balance Hubway, the city of Boston launched an agenda aimed at improving education, enforcement and safety, with the ultimate goal of making the city of Boston the safest bicycling and walking city in the nation. Freedman goes on to say that the city gathers hard data and anecdotal information through interviews with residents and visitors. The city’s transportation department has mapped out thousands of accidents using reports from bicyclist surveys. In addition to these collection efforts, the city says that hundreds of cyclists have advised the department personally with comments and concerns. Freedman says that this information is all used to map out the best steps to make the city safer for all travelers. It’s an interactive process, she says.

In recent studies, says Freedman, Boston has been ranked as the second- and eighth-safest city for bicycling and walking. Yet, she acknowledges that more can be done. She concludes the article’s response by saying the Mayor’s administration will continue with its efforts to enhance safety on our city’s roadways.

As City officials continue on in their efforts, pedestrians are asked to be cautious when walking along the busy roadways of Boston. Responsible and safe walking habits can help to reduce your risks of a potentially fatal accident.
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Just a week ago, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) announced it is discussing higher fares for travelers. That doesn’t excite Boston residents, and many more are expected to turn to bicycles to get around. Residents are urged to be careful when hitting the roadways, as more bicycle traffic increases risks for bicycling accidents in Massachusetts. By taking the proper safety precautions and using the new stretch of bike lanes within the city, we can all do our part to help keep all travelers safe.

Yes, biking through Boston may be a little easier now, as there’s a new stretch of bike lanes on Massachusetts Avenue, according to the Boston Daily. The new stretch of bike lanes stretches all the way from Westand Avenue to the Charles River. Transportation officials nixed about 70 parking spaces to make room for the new lane.

Our Boston bicycle accident attorneys understand that biking in the city can be dangerous times. Transportation officials recently put in new bicycle lanes in between Melnea Cass and St. Botolph Street. Next, they’ll be looking to connect these lanes to Massachusetts Avenue and then later to Melnea Cass. Last summer, Mayor Tom Menino launched the New Hubway bike share program and declared Boston as a biking city. Hubway offers rented bicycles for residents and visitors throughout the city.

“The car is no longer king in Boston,” Menino told the paper.

This is fifth entry of a 6-part blog regarding New Year’s resolutions that motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians can take to make the roadways of Boston safer for everyone. In this entry, we will be discussing bicyclists and the resolution they can make to achieve this goal. It’s no doubt Boston was built for bikes. It’s important to make sure everyone is riding safely to help to reduce the risks of vehicle-bicycle accidents throughout the state.

To help get riders to bike safely, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is here to offer some safe bicycling tips.

Bicycle Safety Tips:

-Be cautious of the traffic around you. Roughly 1 percent of the traffic deaths in Massachusetts are bicyclists.

-Bicyclists should always follow the rules of the road.

-Always travel in the travel lane on the right. You never want to bike in between lanes.

-Be sure to stop at all stop signs and red lights. These traffic devices aren’t option for bicyclists.

-Be sure to always use turn signals and hand signals when moving through traffic,

-Ride in the same direction as other traffic. You don’t want to ride against traffic.

-You should equip your bikes with lights when riding at night.

-Avoid dooring – or being hit by a vehicle door – by staying out of the door zone. Steer clear of parked vehicles.

-Bicyclists under the age of 16-years-old are required by state law to wear a helmet. Everyone else is urged to do the same.
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