Articles Posted in bicycle accident

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Bicycle manufacturer Advanced Sports International has announced it is recalling at least 650 Fuji road bikes for a defect that reportedly can cause a component to slip while pedaling, increasing the risk of a fall. bicycle up close

As the Consumer Product Safety Commission reports, the issue has to do with the rear wheel freehub. For those who are unfamiliar with the various bicycle components, the hub is the center part of the bicycle wheel, that is affixed with axle, bearings and hub shell.  A freehub bicycle is a specific type of design that incorporates a ratcheting mechanism. Freehubs have largely replaced freewheel designs in many mid-range and high-end bicycles. The primary benefit of the freehub/ freewheel system is that a rider can stop pedaling, even as the bike is still in motion.

The recent recall involves 2017 Fuji bicycles with Oval Concepts Rear Wheels, which come in numerous colors. There are two main hub models (numbers printed on the drive-side hub flange of the bikes – 3LLR and 3NVR), but a total of 14 different bike models – all Fuji. Thus far, the Pennsylvania-based importer/ distributor ASI has gotten four reports of the freehub slipping while the rider is pedaling. The good news is there haven’t been any crashes or injuries reported.  Continue reading

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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts does not require bicyclists over the age of 16 to don a helmet when they take to the streets. Furthermore, the law is very clear that lack of a helmet on an injured rider is not grounds to find contributory negligence (see M.G.L. ch. 85, section 11B). bicycling1

That said, it’s generally a very good idea for all bicyclists to wear a helmet. We know that more head injuries occur in biking than in any other sport. A bike helmet may not prevent a bicycle accident, but it can help to significantly reduce injuries and protect riders against concussions and traumatic brain injury. There were reportedly 287,0000 bike-related head injuries in the U.S. between 2007 to 2011. By comparison, there were 220,000 head injuries attributed to football and 132,000 to basketball.

Recently, Consumer Reports touched on this in two different articles. The first involved finding the best bicycle helmet and the second involved analyzing the anatomy of a bicycle accident and how helmets can help play a role in reducing injuries.  Continue reading

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Hit-and-run accidents have been on the rise in major cities in recent years, spiking more than 13 percent in a recent three-year time frame. In some places, like Los Angeles, it’s so bad that half of all crashes in the city involve at least one driver who fled the scene. In total, these accidents kill about 1,500 people a year – disproportionately affecting pedestrians and bicyclists. In fact, 60 percent of hit-and-run fatalities are pedestrians.bicycle9

Just recently in New York City, friends and family gathered in Brooklyn to remember the 35-year-old founder of a company called Bikestock, a bike repair vending machine business and avid bicycling advocate, who was riding home form his night job when a black Chevrolet Camero with tinted windows struck him around 2:30 a.m. He was dragged for a distance. The driver didn’t stop. He was later pronounced dead. It was the 12th cycling fatality in New York City this year, compared to five this time last year. Said a police investigator, “Most of the time, it’s errant and lawless motoring that is to blame.”

Several states, including Texas, Florida, Arizona and Colorado have increased criminal penalties for hit-and-run drivers. In Massachusetts, M.G.L. c. 90 s. 24 makes failure to stop after a collision a misdemeanor, with a maximum penalty of up to 2 years in jail, a $200 fine and between 60 days and 1 year of license loss. Of course, that assumes the driver got caught. So here does all this leave Boston bicycle accident victims?  Continue reading

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May is National Bike Month, and whether you bike to work or school or just for fun, you deserve to be safe. Bike lanes are one of the best roadway features we have to ensure that. bikerace

There has been some debate nationally about whether bicycle lanes are worth the time and effort. Fortunately, there is ample evidence to support the argument that bicycle lanes are cost-effective, promote cycling and help protect bicyclists from the many roadway hazards posed by motor vehicles. Here, our bike accident lawyers in Boston wanted to outline some of the bike lane research and what it could mean for Boston to have more bike lanes.

The City of Boston in its 30-year Boston Bike Network Plan has called for a comprehensive network of cycling routes – including on-road bicycle lanes – across 356 miles. The goal is to have 195 of those miles in place by 2018. The plan specifically states that when it comes to the primary routes – those that are the “spine” of the network and which provide long-distance routes across the city – leaders are prioritizing a separation from traffic in order to provide a low-stress, comfortable experience for cyclists of all ages. On secondary routes, which connect to schools, neighborhoods, parks, and transit hubs, the city is largely focused on installation of bike lanes, contra-flow lanes and priority shared lanes.  Continue reading

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What if it were possible to go back in time and see exactly what the outcome would have been if you had done things differently?bicyclists3

That’s what scientists with the KTH Royal Institute of Technology worked to accomplish in “rewinding” three bicycle accident scenarios in which the cyclists were not wearing helmets.

The videos offer reenactments of three different bicycle accident scenarios – showing the exact portions of the cyclists’ brains that suffer injury. Then, the researchers reenact those very same crashes to show how it would have gone differently had the rider been wearing a helmet at the time of impact. Continue reading