MEDFORD, NY- According to Newsday.com, a truck hit a cyclist on Saturday in Medford. The victim was struck by a 2015 Ford pickup truck. The crash took place at around 7 in the evening on Horseblock Road. The victim was taken to the Stony Brook University Hospital where his condition was reported as critical. The […]
MEDFORD, NY- According to Newsday.com, a truck hit a cyclist on Saturday in Medford. The victim was struck by a 2015 Ford pickup truck. The crash took place at around 7 in the evening on Horseblock Road. The victim was taken to the Stony Brook University Hospital where his condition was reported as critical.
The driver operating the truck, 41-year-old Michael Saidler, of Shirley, remained at the scene of the accidents. Neither Saidler or the passenger in his vehicle sustained injuries in the collision.
While traffic deaths in New York City decreased four years in a row, the number of fatal cycling accidents increased in 2017. Last year 214 people died in traffic accidents in New York City, indicating that traffic fatalities in the city have dropped by 28 percent since the start of Vision Zero. The decrease in traffic fatalities was led by a large drop in pedestrian deaths.
The number of cyclists killed has not varied much within the last 20 years. However, because more people are cycling now, the rate of cyclist fatalities has dropped.
The New York City Department of Transportation advises cyclists to ride in a straight line, to look before changing lanes and signal to drivers, be on the lookout for car doors, dress so as to stay visible, use a bell to notify others of your presence, never cycle with earphones on, and always wear a helmet. Cyclists are also subject to traffic laws. People on bikes are required to use the street, to use bike paths when they exist, to ride along with the flow of traffic, and to stop at traffic signals, including red lights and stop signs.
