Palmer Events Center
Austin Underreporting Bicycle Accidents
RECEIVED Thu., Aug. 7, 2008
Dear Editor,
I am an attorney who specializes in bicycle accidents. I am not trying to put myself out of work or anything; however, I receive a substantial number of phone calls regarding accidents and injuries in Austin involving cyclists.
One 23-year-old victim's mother contacted our office today, following her discussions with the mayor's office and the phenomenally fast callback from newly seated Lt. Derrick Galloway. I know The Austin Chronicle has issued stories in the past listing statistics such as that out of 251 auto vs. cyclist collisions, only 62 of the motorists were cited in Austin [“Riding at Risk,” News, Nov. 10, 2006].
Interestingly, as Austin moves to obtain the "gold status" award from the American Bicycling League, more often, motorists are not getting cited. A recent example is a client who was hit by a van on MLK. The young man suffered eight broken vertebrae, no citation issued, two eyewitnesses, and we have affidavits establishing motorist liability.
We of course can only assume some sort of connection between Austin's goal to obtain gold status with the ABL as a partial reason for the lack of citations, as well as a lack of officer training. Nevertheless, regarding a less serious accident, the parent who contacted us has almost the entire staff from Urban Outfitters as eyewitnesses to another motorist running down her son. The officer on the scene, despite all of the eyewitnesses, failed to cite the driver and failed to take a single witness statement. This has a huge fiscal impact on the city such that motorists whose insurance should pay for the medical costs associated with these claims will be able to deny claims due to the officers' unwillingness to cite motorists; places like Brackenridge will have to eat the cost, or the city will pay through subsidies. Support and demand better officer training regarding cyclist accidents and injuries.
I am an attorney who specializes in bicycle accidents. I am not trying to put myself out of work or anything; however, I receive a substantial number of phone calls regarding accidents and injuries in Austin involving cyclists.
One 23-year-old victim's mother contacted our office today, following her discussions with the mayor's office and the phenomenally fast callback from newly seated Lt. Derrick Galloway. I know The Austin Chronicle has issued stories in the past listing statistics such as that out of 251 auto vs. cyclist collisions, only 62 of the motorists were cited in Austin [“Riding at Risk,” News, Nov. 10, 2006].
Interestingly, as Austin moves to obtain the "gold status" award from the American Bicycling League, more often, motorists are not getting cited. A recent example is a client who was hit by a van on MLK. The young man suffered eight broken vertebrae, no citation issued, two eyewitnesses, and we have affidavits establishing motorist liability.
We of course can only assume some sort of connection between Austin's goal to obtain gold status with the ABL as a partial reason for the lack of citations, as well as a lack of officer training. Nevertheless, regarding a less serious accident, the parent who contacted us has almost the entire staff from Urban Outfitters as eyewitnesses to another motorist running down her son. The officer on the scene, despite all of the eyewitnesses, failed to cite the driver and failed to take a single witness statement. This has a huge fiscal impact on the city such that motorists whose insurance should pay for the medical costs associated with these claims will be able to deny claims due to the officers' unwillingness to cite motorists; places like Brackenridge will have to eat the cost, or the city will pay through subsidies. Support and demand better officer training regarding cyclist accidents and injuries.
Lenore Shefman
Shefman Law Group
Shefman Law Group