NYC Bike Deaths Spike in 2023

Cyclist deaths on New York roads are on track to hit the highest number since 1999.

1 minute read

October 19, 2023, 6:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Sepia-toned photo of man riding bicycle on urban street with yellow cab and historic brick buildings in background.

Sam Edwards/KOTO / Adobe Stock

A report from Transportation Alternatives reveals that 2023 could be the deadliest year for New York City bike riders since 1999, when 40 people on bikes died in crashes.

As Rabia Gursoy reports for WINS News, that number stands at 25 in the first nine months of this year. “The first and second quarters of 2023 had more people killed in accidents than the average during the time when Vision Zero, a safety program designed to reduce and eventually eliminate traffic-related fatalities and injuries that began in 2014 under Mayor De Blasio, was in place.”

The report adds, “A staggering 94% of bike riders killed in traffic incidents lost their lives on streets lacking protected bike lanes,” which are missing on 97 percent of the city’s streets.

The report comes as the Adams administration has backed down on plans to improve bike infrastructure, even as biking grows in popularity.

Tuesday, October 17, 2023 in WINS

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