Boston Injury Lawyer Blog

In Massachusetts last month, at about 12:30am on, 13-year-old Earman Machado was riding his bicycle next to a friend, who was walking on the shoulder of the road that runs parallel to Route 24, when he was plowed down by a car. The driver of the motor vehicle did not stop at the accident scene.

Instead, Craig P. Bigos, the driver of the car, turned himself in to New Bedford police the next day. He claims he did not intend to hit-and-run and was not aware that he had struck anyone. Bigos said he had been text messaging on his cell phone when his car swerved off the road and hit what he thought was a mailbox. It wasn’t until the following day when he noticed the accident site that he realized that he might have struck someone.

Machado died from serious head trauma caused by the injury accident.

If you are a bicyclist who was seriously injured in an accident involving a negligent car driver, bus driver, motorcyclist, or truck driver, you should contact a Massachusetts bicycle accident lawyer immediately.

Bicycle accidents can lead to serious injuries, such as broken bones, road burns, severed limbs, major internal injuries, spinal cord injuries, head injuries, neck injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and death.

The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute says that:

• 85 million people ride bicycles in the US.
• Of the 773 bicycle fatalities that occurred in 2006, 92% of them involved motor vehicle collisions.
• 50% of the victims were children younger than 15 years of age.
• 2/3 of the deaths were due to fatal traumatic brain injuries.
• Some 540,000 bicyclists are sent to hospitals for treatment following motor vehicle crashes.
• Approximately 67,000 injured bicyclists are treated for head injuries each year.

A good Massachusetts bicycle accident lawyer will know how to properly investigate the accident scene and any evidence that will prove that another party’s negligence was responsible for your injury accident. If your loved one is a bicyclist who died after being struck by a motor vehicle, you are entitled to receive wrongful death compensation.

Fatal hit-run driver was texting, Boston.com, December 29, 2007

Helmet-Related Statistics, Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute

Related Web Resources:

Massachusetts Laws Pertaining to Bicyclists, The Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition

Massachusetts Bicycle Helmet Law

Continue reading "13-Year-Old Massachusetts Bicyclist Dies After Being Struck by Driver Who Was Text Messaging" »

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Boston is reportedly one of the most dangerous cities for bicyclists in Massachusetts. Many bike paths are poorly maintained, clotted with leaves and gravel, worn out, and only extend for up to 150 yards or less.

Northeastern University Professor of Civil Engineering Peter Furth says that the local government does not take bike lanes seriously. Last month, however, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino appointed former Olympic cyclist Nicole Freedman as the city’s bike czar. The appointment is part of his efforts to turn Boston into a more bicycle-friendly city. An online map system and 250 new bike racks throughout Boston are included among the first phase of improvements he plans to make.

Bike Czar Freedman says she will lead efforts to review the streets and bike lanes. She also cited enforcement and education as key factors in making sure that the city’s biking facilities are of use to bicycle riders.

Mayor Menino promised stricter fines against motor vehicle drivers that block bike lanes. He also said he would create a series of bike lanes on a number of roads, including Commonwealth Avenue, the Fenway, Massachusetts Avenue, and the Back Bay. The mayor is considering installing bike storage areas, showers, and an automated bike rental system that would allow anyone with a credit card to rent a bike.

Boston is usually listed in Bicycling magazine as one of the least bike friendly cities.

Last April, a bicyclist was killed near Northeastern University on Huntington Avenue in a traffic accident involving two motor vehicles. Studies show that many bicyclists are injured on Boston roads every year—some of these accidents result in deaths. In 2005, 5 cyclists died in traffic accidents; 711 others were injured.

Cambridge, considered a bicycle-friendly area, has a bike lane on Massachusetts Avenue that runs through Central Square but does meet civil engineering standards that are designed to allow cars and bikes to share the roads safely. Because the bike lane stretches out just 12.5 feet from the curb—six inches short of what the ideal extension should be—bicycle riders tend to get too close to parked cars. If a passenger or driver opens a car door and hits the cyclist, the rider could get pushed into oncoming traffic. A bicyclist died in such an accident in 2002.

If you or someone you love was injured while riding a bicycle anywhere in Massachusetts because a car driver, motorcyclist, truck driver, bus driver, or local government agency was negligent, you should contact an experienced Massachusetts bicycle accident lawyer who knows how to properly represent bicyclists injured in a traffic accident.

Menino mounting bid to make city a bicyclist's dream, Boston.com, September 20, 2007

Boston's not the hub of biking safely, Bostonnow.com, September 21, 2007

Related Web Resources:

Bicycle Crash Statistics, Massbike.org

Get your ride on (bike paths), Boston.com, September 20, 2007

Continue reading "Poor Bike Lanes in Boston Increase Injury Risks for Bicyclists " »

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