As we’re posting this, Boston Police are still asking for help finding the driver of a car that hit a bicyclist early Sunday morning and then fled the scene. The cyclist, a man in his thirties, was travelling east on Commonwealth Avenue near Clarendon Street with another cyclist around 3:20 a.m. when he was clipped by a silver four-door sedan. The reports suggest that the cyclist then bounced off a second car and was dragged by the one that struck him; he might also have been run over. He’s since passed away after being hospitalized for a time.
Frequent Crime, Far from Victimless
It’s difficult to find information on exactly how many hit-and-run crashes there are in Massachusetts each year, but we know there are a lot. Most only cause property damage, as when someone strikes a parked car and drives away. But many cause injuries, sometimes serious. Some hit-and-runs, inevitably, take the lives of their victims, as in last weekend’s incident in Boston.
One of those incidents happened on Easter Sunday when a driver in Milford struck and killed a four-year-old Framingham boy. The boy had briefly wandered out of the yard of the home he was visiting and none of his family witnessed the crash, although they heard the impact and the car speeding away. Police are also still hoping to get more information on that vehicle, which may have been a red Scion seen leaving the area, but that’s only one of four or five cars currently being investigated.
Risk to Drivers, Passengers, Pedestrians, Cyclists
The majority of those injured and killed in motor vehicle crashes in Massachusetts are vehicle occupants: The drivers and passengers of one or more of the cars, trucks, buses, or motorcycles involved in a crash. But they’re not the only ones at risk. In any given year, about one-quarter of crash victims are pedestrians. Cyclists have accounted for ten or fewer crash fatalities in most years since 2006.
In Boston, which has been making an extra and persistent effort to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities since 2015, there were twenty-one traffic deaths last year. Fifteen of those were in a vehicle and six were pedestrians, but that year saw no fatal bicycle crashes.
Boston Car and Bicycle Accident Lawyer
It doesn’t matter what your preferred way of getting around is—bike, car, bus, or on foot—or what method you’re using when a crash happens. When you’re the victim of a traffic accident caused by another person, you’re entitled to sue the responsible persons for any damages they’ve caused. Whether that means seeking compensation for property damage, medical expenses, lost wages, or pain and suffering, it’s vital that you have a knowledgeable and experienced auto accident attorney working with you.
The team at Joel H. Schwartz, PC understands the practice of automobile accident law, and we’ve helped many clients with their cases. Call us today at 1-800-660-2270 or contact us online through the form below to schedule a free consultation to discuss the details of your case and learn how we can help.