What to Know
- Another cyclist was killed in NYC streets – this time after being struck by a tractor trailer Monday morning, according to authories
- The FDNY says the cyclist went into cardiac arrest and was subsequently taken to a hospital where they was pronounced dead
- The incident took place in Brooklyn; An investigation is underway
Another cyclist was killed on a New York City street – this time after being struck by a tractor trailer Monday morning, according to authorities.
NYPD says they received a call just before 9 a.m. reporting the incident that took place in the area of 35th Street and Third Avenue.
According to Transportation Alternatives Deputy Director Ellen McDermott, the person killed was a 30-year-old woman who died after a motorist allegedly opened a car door in her path. The cyclist allegedly veered further left and that is when she was struck.
The woman was identified as Em Samolewicz, of Brooklyn.
The incident, according to the Transportation Alternatives group, took place eight blocks from where the first person killed while biking in 2019 was struck.
The FDNY says the cyclist went into cardiac arrest and was subsequently taken to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn where she was pronounced dead.
Local
The driver of the truck, a 37-year-old man, remained at the scene. No other information is available at this time.
Police say an investigation is underway.
In a tweet, Mayor de Blasio called Monday's incident a "tragedy in Sunset Park," while seemingly calling for legal action be taken against the man who opened his door, forcing the biker to veer out of the way.
"It is AGAINST the law to open a car door into the path of a cyclist. Our lives are in each other’s hands. We must act like it," de Blasio tweeted. "Rising cyclist fatalities are a crisis. We will do everything in our power to stop them."
This event marks the most recent cyclist fatality in New York City streets, increasing the total number of bike riders who were killed this year to at least 18.
Earlier this month, dozens of protesters staged a "die-in" at Washington Square Park to call on the city to do more to ensure the safety of cyclists.
Following the uptick in cyclist deaths on the road this year, the city rolled out a new bike safety plan Thursday. The plan included $58 million of protected bike lanes throughout the city.
The plan, “Green Wave,” cracks down on dangerous streets and intersections by the implementation of protected bike lanes, enacts 10 bike priority districts and NYPD enforcement at 100 of the most dangerous intersections.
When introducing the plan last week, the mayor said the at Brooklyn saw the highest number of fatalities this year, calling it a “crisis” and “emergency.”
Additionally, Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg said that of the Brooklyn deaths, the majority took place in areas where there are a lot of trucks.
Meanwhile, the New York City Council on passed a bill that would allow cyclists to follow pedestrian walk signals, making it safer for cyclists to cross intersections, said Council Member Carlos Menchaca.
