How Safe Are Bicyclists in New York City?

New York City provides bicyclists with ample space for travel. The City of New York Department of Transportation reports that the city added more than 60 miles of bike lanes this year and plans to include more in the next several years.

Despite protected bike lanes, NYC bicyclists may still face certain dangers during commutes or while riding for pleasure, and remaining aware of possible safety problems may reduce the risk of injury.

Street design

Some New York City streets do not always provide space for those who commute by bike, which may cause accidents during times of heavy traffic flow. While the city plans to implement plans to increase rider space in all five boroughs, bicyclists may want to avoid areas that do not include bike lanes or that have limited areas to cross safely.

New safety plans

The increase in cyclists over the past decade in New York City prompted the city’s transportation departments to implement new and improved bike safety plans to protect riders and those who may interact with them. The city monitors cyclist activity, including:

• Cycling trends
• The number of cyclists in congested areas
• Bike accident reports

This data allows the city to better plan for cyclist safety in the future, including the formation of new bike lanes.

Cycling risk for NYC bike riders is on the decline. However, despite future plans for further improving paths and safer spaces for cyclists, riders can reduce the risk of serious injury or death by remaining aware of their surroundings while on the move and avoiding narrow streets that do not provide them an opportunity to avoid a possible collision with a vehicle.