• 17
  • January
    2012

The streets of San Francisco, much like other major cities across the country, are a combination of pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers, many of whom are in a rush to get somewhere. While everyone is supposed to share the road by following the law and taking care to be mindful of one another, inevitably there are times when someone gets careless or breaks the law and an accident occurs. Sometimes these accidents are fatal. Recently, San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon joined the effort to help raise awareness of the increased danger facing bicyclists in San Francisco.

Some Alarming Numbers

According to Gascon, roughly one third of the accidents taking place in San Francisco involve drivers from other cities. Just as out-of-town drivers appear to be one of the causes for such a high number of accidents, there are other factors to examine as well. One of the leading factors is a larger number of bicyclists. According to Leah Shaum, the executive director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, the number of bicyclists in San Francisco has increased 58 percent over the last four years. An increase in the number of bicyclists on the already crowded streets can only lead to an increase in the number of accidents.

Moreover, bicyclists are not the only ones threatened by cars - according to Elizabeth Stampe, the executive director of the non-profit Walk San Francisco, roughly 800 pedestrians also get hit by cars each year.

Who Is at Fault?

The laws of the road apply to drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians alike. Each party has their own part to play and each must be attentive when walking, riding or driving on the city streets. It is up to everyone to pay attention and obey the laws to help cut down on the number of accidents. All it takes is one person not paying attention or disobeying the rules to cause an accident that can lead to serious injury or even death.