STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The death of a motorcyclist on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge last weekend is the latest in a spate of serious motorcycle-involved crashes that have left a disturbing number of Staten Islander riders dead or critically injured over the past year.
NYPD data shows that motorcycle crashes, including those that result in an injury or fatality, have been increasing on Staten Island and across the city since 2021. Tragically, that includes six Staten Islanders who have died in motorcycle crashes since last summer -- one who was killed while riding in New Jersey -- plus the man killed last weekend on the bridge, who was a Brooklynite. The ages of those killed range from 20s to 50s; all were male riders.
According to Advance/SILive.com reporting, at least three others have been critically injured in that period, including one motorcyclist who was left on the road in a hit-and-run on the Staten Island Expressway. In May, the NYC Department of Transportation and NYPD partnered to tackle the rising trend of motorcycle fatalities throughout New York City, which they say in part is due to an overall increase in ridership since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a press release at the time , the DOT said that 2023 had an all-time high number of motorcycle fatalities. Additionally, according to the press release, only 27% of the citywide riders who died last year had a motorcycle license. As part of the initiative, both agencies greatly expanded their education and.
