Transportation Alternatives Response to Cyclist Fatality on Staten Island

Statement of Transportation Alternatives Executive Director Danny Harris:

“On Saturday, 79-year-old cyclist Zudi Daci was struck and killed by the unlicensed driver of a Ford pickup truck at Signs Road and Arlene Street -- a known dangerous intersection -- near the trailhead of the New Springville Greenway on Staten Island. Daci is the fourth cyclist to die on New York City streets in 2020. On behalf of Transportation Alternatives and Families for Safe Streets, we send our deepest condolences to Daci’s family. 

Large vehicles, like the Ford F-250 pickup involved in Tuesday’s crash, are used in a disproportionate number of serious crashes on New York City streets. To date in 2020, all four of the cyclists who lost their lives were struck by either trucks or SUVs. This crash should serve as a reminder of the incredible responsibility that comes with operating a motorized vehicle, especially one that weighs upwards of 6,000 pounds, and especially in a densely-populated city. 

For decades, pedestrians and cyclists have been fighting for survival on a network of streets that prioritizes the free flow of multi-ton machines over human life. But today, as our city begins to emerge from the pandemic, we have an opportunity to take back our streets so businesses can reopen, so we can safely travel where we need to go, and like Zudi Daci, who had only recently started biking for exercise, so we can stretch our legs and get some fresh air while sticking to physical distancing guidelines.