Philadelphia’s Roxborough section has long been an area of concern for bicyclist and pedestrian safety. These concerns are confirmed over and over again by accidents in the area, including a recent incident in which a teenage bicyclist was struck and killed by a driver. At Soloff & Zervanos, P.C., Philadelphia bicycle accident attorneys want to discuss this recent crash as well as the steps that local governments are taking to increase safety in this area.
On June 21, 2020, a teenage boy was struck and killed by a driver in Philly’s Roxborough section at around 5:30 p.m. on Henry Avenue and Barnes Street.
Police say that the 17-year-old was traveling east on Barnes Street on his bicycle when he was struck by the driver. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Witnesses to the incident say that the teenager was wearing a helmet at the time of the incident.
“It sounded like an explosion,” one neighbor said.
Other neighbors in the area say that this road has long been a problem with issues of poor visibility and speeding. Suzanne Hagner, who lives near where this latest accident occurred, says she has lobbied government officials for years to make this section of the roadway safer.
Recently, the Streets Department installed traffic lights, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is planning a project for the area set to begin in 2021. This project involves 4.7 miles of safety improvements along Henry Avenue and throughout the communities of East Falls and Roxborough.
During the latest reporting year of data available from the Pennsylvania DOT, we can see that there were nearly 1,000 total bicycle crashes across the state. These incidents lead to 18 fatalities and 962 injuries. Nearly every bicycle accident results in some kind of injury or fatality because of how exposed a bicyclist is and how vulnerable they are to a collision with a passenger vehicle. It is not uncommon for a bicyclist to sustain the following injuries in a collision:
If you or somebody you love has been injured in a bicycle accident caused by the actions of another person or entity, contact the team at Soloff & Zervanos, P.C. today. Our qualified and experienced traffic accident attorneys in Philadelphia will investigate every aspect of your case so we can recover the compensation you deserve. This can include:
When you need a Philadelphia bicycle accident attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling us at 866-597-8572.