On July 22, 2017 a Brooklyn hit-and-run bicycle accident took the life of a 27-year-old man, and police believe a garbage truck driver struck the biker and left the scene of the accident.

According to the New York Post a green and white sanitation truck with yellow writing slammed into Neftaly Ramirez, when he was riding his bike in Greenpoint, Brooklyn on Franklin Street near Noble Street. The time was around 12:30 a.m. First responders pronounced his death at the scene of the accident.

Police are investigating the accident, and they are uncertain whether the driver even realized he had hit the bicyclist. Police thought that the suspect worked for a private sanitation company because there were no records of public sanitation trucks being in the area.

New York City Bicycling Statistics

According to transalt.org (Transportation Alternatives), more than 200,000 New Yorkers are biking every day. The Department of Health estimates that approximately 500,000 adults in New York City use a bike at least once a month. Due to public demand, New York City has laid down more than 250 miles of bike lanes since 2006, which is slightly more than four percent of the city’s streets.

Bike lanes make the city’s streets much safer for bikers. In fact, the more bicyclists that are on the streets bicycling, the safer the streets are for bikers. There is safety in numbers.

Bike riders must abide by the same laws that New York drivers must abide by. Unfortunately, the greatest hazard is visibility, not seeing bikers. For working cyclists, New York City requires cyclists to wear reflective vests, lights, and clothing that identifies the company they work for.

Have You or a Loved One Been Involved in a Bike Accident?

If you were biking and injured in a vehicle accident through no fault of your own, consult with a lawyer. Sackstein Sackstein & Lee, LLP offers a free consultation to determine your legal rights to pursue compensation.