As reported by police: Another month of crashes, putting pregnant woman and 9-year-old at risk
A car crash in North Cambridge on Oct. 17. (Photo: James Williamson)
A year ago I published a summary of vehicle-on-bicycle crash reports as provided to the City Council by the city’s public information office over the course of a month – October 2021. Below is a list of all 17 crash reports we got in October of this year, lightly edited but unfiltered. Notably, most of the crashes involve a motor vehicle crashing into and injuring a pedestrian (including a 9-year-old child, in one instance), or bicycle operator. These reports underscore again the importance of continuing to make critical safety improvements to our roads without delay.
Oct 31: Crash involving pedestrian at Main and Windsor streets
Units responded to Main Street and Windsor Street around 4:52 p.m. for a crash involving a motorist and pedestrian. The pedestrian suffered a head injury and was taken to a hospital.
Oct 31: Crash involving pedestrian at 415 Cardinal Medeiros Ave.
Units responded after a crash involving an operator of a motor vehicle and a pedestrian that took place at around 9:12 a.m. The pedestrian sustained a knee injury. The driver of the vehicle fled the area and officers are seeking them.
Oct 29: Crash involving bicyclist at Hampshire and Tremont streets
Units responded after a crash involving an operator of a motor vehicle and a bicyclist. It took place around 7:33 p.m. The bicyclist was taken to a hospital to be evaluated for injuries.
Oct 27: Crash involving pedestrian
Police responded to the area of Massachusetts Avenue at Albany street at around 4:23 p.m. after a crash involving an operator of a motor vehicle and a pedestrian. It appears that the pedestrian was jogging and crossing Massachusetts Avenue while the pedestrian light was red and the driver had a green light.
Oct 25: Crash involving scooter operator at Massachusetts Avenue and Amherst Street
Police report that around 6:40 a.m., there was a crash involving a motorist and scooter operator. The scooter operator sustained an ankle injury. The motorist was cited for unlicensed operation.
Oct 24: Crash involving bicyclist at Belmont and Cushing streets
Police report that around 7:20 p.m., there was a crash involving a motorist and bicyclist in which the bicyclist sustained minor injuries.
Oct 21: Crash involving bicyclist who is pregnant
Police report that units responded to a crash involving a motorist and a bicyclist on Garden Street at Linnaean Street at around 8:49 a.m. The bicyclist, who is reportedly eight months pregnant, was traveling west on Garden Street crossing Linnaean Street. The motorist was traveling east on Garden Street, turning left onto Linnaean Street. Fortunately, the cyclist did not require transport to the hospital and was treated on-scene for injuries to her hands and knees. The motorist was cited.
Oct 17: Crash involving traffic light pole
Police report getting multiple media inquiries after a motor vehicle crash resulted in a traffic light pole getting knocked down at Massachusetts Avenue and Harvey Street. Preliminary information indicates the pole fell on two vehicles. Traffic was heavy due to the delays.
Oct 15: Overnight crash
Police report that at approximately 2 a.m., officers responded to a two-car crash at Green Street and Western Avenue. It appears the first operator drove the wrong way on Western, striking the second vehicle head-on at a red light. The first operator backed up over a traffic signal, knocking it down, and struck a street sign. The first operator was arrested for driving under the influence and other motor vehicle violations. The second operator was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Oct 13: Two crashes involving bicyclists
Around 6:11 p.m., a bicyclist was in a crash with a motorist at Portland and Washington streets. The cyclist did not require a hospital transport. Around 7:23 p.m., a crash occurred on Fresh Pond Parkway at Huron Avenue. The cyclist sustained a minor back injury and was taken to a hospital.
Oct 12: Hit-and-run crash
The Emergency Communications Center reports notification of a motor vehicle crash involving a pedestrian at 601 Concord Ave. Police and fire reported that an elderly victim was found with a head injury and taken to a hospital. The injuries were non-life-threatening. Police advise that this was a hit-and-run crash. The driver took off toward Belmont.
Oct 10: Crash involving scooter
Around 6:35 p.m., there was a crash involving the operator of a scooter and a motorist in the parking lot between PetSmart and Alewife Brook Parkway. The scooter operator was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
Oct 9: Crash involving pedestrian at Calendar and Putnam streets
Police report that at approximately 2:17 p.m., a crash involving a pedestrian and motorist in which pedestrian suffered a possible broken wrist=. The motorist was cited for a marked-lane violation.
Oct 6: Crash involving child
Police responded to Hingham Street around 6:51 p.m. after a crash involving a motorist and a 9-year-old pedestrian. The child was taken to a hospital with an apparent head injury that is non-life threatening.
Oct 6: Two-car crash involving the driver of a police vehicle
Police responded to Second and Spring streets around 4:12 p.m. for a motor vehicle crash involving one of our officer-driven police cars. As a result of the crash, there was some exterior damage but no apparent structural damage to a nearby building. The operator of the other vehicle reported back pain and was treated on scene and taken to a hospital. The involved officer appears to not be injured. Traffic was briefly impacted.
Oct 2: Crash involving pedestrian
Police report that around 7:55 p.m., units responded to 624 Massachusetts Ave. after a crash involving a motorist and pedestrian. The pedestrian, who was reportedly intoxicated and outside of the crosswalk at the time of the crash, sustained a head injury and was taken to a hospital for evaluation and treatment.
Quinton Zondervan is a city councillor.
A nine year old, an 8 month pregnant expectant mother (on a street that NIMBYs tried to fight bike lanes on no less), an elderly man left in a hit and run, and a wrong way drunk driver
I’m sure the “both sides are at fault” brigade is coming to pose the tired argument that a 20lb bicycle and a 6000lb SUV confer the same level of responsibility and risk to those around them On our city streets.
A good start would be a state wide weight tax on these ridiculous SUVs that have no business being in Cambridge
Mere minutes after reading this — a pedestrian was hit by a speeding car by Broadway/Rindge Latin with an ambulance taking them away.
Shameful state of affairs
Cycles are on the road. They are part of the traffic flow. They must be regulated and fined like every other vehicle on the road. Not stopping at the light needs to be a fined violation for bikes. It does not matter if they are they 20lbs and the SUV is 2000 lbs. If only the 2000 lbs vehicle is held to a standard, the 20 lbs vehicle is bound to deviate from rules, and accidents will continue.
You are off by multiple folds on the weight of SUVs but ok
cambridge resident- you are missing the point. Doesn’t matter the weight. It is the judgement of the operator which is ultimately problematic. Sorry to say that any bikers think they are invincible as they weave in traffic, go through lights and ride on the sidewalk. They need to be licensed like any other vehicle. NIMBYS have nothing to do with this discussion. I wish you would quit trying to implicate all with that label.
@cambridgeresident.
I assume are hinting that I underquoted the SUV weight. If that is the case, then you helped me make my point.
If I am sharing a road with X lbs SUV that all indications say is only get to get heavier – then all the more reason for me to ride my bike (as well as my compact car) more carefully. And, all the more reason for me as a biker to support both parties sharing the road are held to the same standards.
After all, city roadways are becoming narrower while the volume of cars and bikes is getting higher – leading to more congestion. Common sense indicates that unless both parties have a shared visual language to communicate on the busy streets and abide by it, accidents from chaos are bound to increase. And I, as a biker, have a higher chance of getting seriously injured as I am not behind a metal casing.
The leading photo is the October 17th crash at Mass Ave and Harvey Street. This area already HAS the bike and bus lanes which were supposed to be a safety improvement.
This list of crashes is being used to sell proposed and future bike lane projects. But is the city addressing the safety issues created by the completed bike lanes?
Last year Council Member Zondervan’s released a month’s worth of Bicycle Crash data to Cambridge Day, link: https://www.cambridgeday.com/2021/11/09/here-are-some-recent-vehicle-on-bicycle-crashes-reported-to-city-councillors-but-not-widely-known/
It showed: None of the reported accidents happened on Mass Ave
The 6 Accidents were all at intersections- 2 had protected bike lanes already installed
5 of the injuries were minor, and the 1 person, who was riding in an area with the separated lanes already installed, received the most severe injury of the group and was taken to the hospital w/ injuries to his leg
This year, he released a comparable month of data showing 15 accidents, with many more injuries and property damage than last year’s report. Isn’t it time to actually examine the data on if the implementation of the separated bike lanes is actually reducing accidents and the severity of accidents?