NEW ORLEANS — In less than a week, two people on bikes have been hit by cars in New Orleans.
The first happened Saturday, April 29, when Katherine Elkins was leaving Jazz Fest. Elkins came up to the intersection at Esplanade Avenue and Claiborne around 9 p.m., when she was hit by a car, that then drove off.
According to our partners at the Times-Picayune, Elkins was sent flying and landed on the neutral ground. Her sister told Nola.com, that thankfully a paramedic was nearby, and she was rushed to the hospital.
Now, Elkins is fighting for her life. According to the Times-Picayune, Elkins has been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, a lacerated liver, multiple spine fractures, and an open ankle fracture.
The second crash happened Wednesday night. A cyclist was on Interstate West near the I-610 exit when a car rammed into him. The cyclist was killed, and the driver drove off.
Bike-safety advocates say both incidents show the need to do more to ensure a cyclist’s safety.
“We still have work to do as far as educating both drivers and people biking, on how to share the road safely. We still have work to do in building infrastructure to make sure these people need to get where they need to be safely,” Laura Harris, the Education Programs Coordinator with Bike Easy said.
It’s common for people to bike in New Orleans, but with Jazz Fest it becomes an even more popular way to get around. Harris said even if drivers and cyclists do simple things to be more attentive, it can go a long way.
“(Drivers) use your hand to open the car door so instead of flinging the car door open using your opposite hand it forces you to look back and see if anyone’s coming in your path,” Harris recommended. “(Cyclists) always position yourself to be visible and predictable. So that means things like communicating what you’re doing using signals, riding in a place you can be seen riding in the same direction as traffic so people can expect where to see you.”
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