Queens Ledger: Cyclist’s Death Inspires PSAs

The death of an avid Greenpoint bicyclist has inspired a new safety campaign urging drivers to be aware that they share the road with bikes. Liz Byrne was 45 years old when she was hit by a truck and killed in September of 2005 at the intersection of Kent Avenue and McGuiness Boulevard. A freelance graphic designer in the New York City office of Publicis, Byrne biked between 40 and 50 miles a week.

Shortly after her death, Byrne’s sister and her colleagues at Publicis contacted Transportation Alternatives and offered services pro bono for a massive safety and education campaign. The result is a series of ads on bus shelters, city buses, the tops of taxis, and phone kiosks urging not only drivers to look out for cyclists, but for cyclists to also be aware of other vehicles on the road. “The ‘Look’ campaign would not have been possible without the family and friends of Liz Byrne,” said Paul Steely White, executive director of Transportation Alternatives.

“Thanks to the dedication of Liz’s family and friends, these powerful images will instill everyone with a simple message: look out for one another.” “The idea behind this campaign is simple - we’re asking everyone to accept responsibility to look out for each other on the streets,” added Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan.

The public service announcements come on the heels of the release of the New York City Bicycle Coalition and Transportation Alternatives joint report dubbed the “Bike Safety Action Plan,” which suggested several strong measures to make the city safer for bicyclists. An education initiative was one of the report’s demands. “With guidance from experienced street safety advocates,” read the report, “develop and implement a Public Awareness Campaign to curb dangerous driving and educate drivers about cyclists’ rights to the streets.”

The report revealed that almost all of the fatal crashes involving bicyclists and motor vehicles were the result of poor driving or bicycle riding behavior, particularly driver inattention and disregarding traffic signals and signs. The city has committed to doubling the number of on-street bike lanes and paths over the next several years. Since the report was released, more than 60 miles of new lanes and routes have been added to the New York City bicycle network, including experimental high visibility lanes in Brooklyn. - Shane Miller