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A tragic accident shows how dangerous buses can be on crowded city streets.

Citi Bike Death Highlights Dangers of Bus Accidents

This month, a man died after being hit by a bus while riding a rented bike in New York City. The man was not wearing a helmet. While initial reports found that the man and the bus driver both swerved, causing the collision, security camera footage now appears to show that the bus clipped the bike tire, causing the accident.

The victim in this case was riding a Citi Bike. Citi Bikes are a popular bike sharing program in New York City where users can rent bikes from kiosks around the city and return them to another one. While the program has gained widespread support because it encourages more people to rely on bicycles instead of cars and other forms of transportation, it raises significant safety concerns. Specifically, when users ride Citi Bikes, they are not likely to be wearing a helmet. The seats may not be properly adjusted, and the bikes may not be properly maintained. While lack of maintenance does not appear to be at issue in this crash, these safety issues may cause problems for future riders.

The tragedy of this accident highlights an important issue within cities and towns across America: bus accidents. In this situation, the bus driver was driving down a narrow road and apparently did not stop or slow for the biker who was also on the street. His alleged failure to do so resulted in the bike being hit. Then the biker was hit by the bus and killed.

In this case, the bus that hit the biker was operated by Hudson Transit Lines, a commuter bus. Under New York Department of Transportation Rules, commuter buses in New York City must adhere to truck routes, only deviating from them to arrive at their destinations by the most direct route. The street that the bus was on when it hit the biker in this case was not an approved truck route.

In addition, non-commercial vehicles were prohibited from parking on the street where the biker was hit between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. during the week. Despite this, at least one apparent non-commercial vehicle was parked on the street where the biker was hit; this was the vehicle that the biker was attempting to avoid when he was hit by the bus.

Bus accidents are far too common in the United States, and can often result in serious injuries or even deaths. Having a skilled bus accident attorney who is familiar with the laws and regulations in your locality — such as where buses are allowed to travel — can help ensure that you get the money that you deserve for your injuries.

At the Law Offices of Larry H. Parker, our attorneys have more than 40 years of experience helping victims of all types of accidents, including bus accidents, get the money they deserve for their injuries. We offer free initial consultations, and we never charge a fee unless we recover money for you. Contact us today at 800-333-0000 or info@larryhparker.com to schedule a free initial consultation.