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Los Angeles • Hit-and-run collisions between vehicles and bicyclists have increased 42 percent between 2002 and 2012 in Los Angeles County despite an overall drop in hit-and-run accidents, according to a published report Saturday.
More than 5,600 cyclists were injured and at least 36 died in crashes as other hit-and-run cases have dropped by nearly one-third, the Los Angeles Times reported. The paper arrived at its numbers by analyzing years of California Highway Patrol crash data.
The surge is troubling as more cities embrace bicycle-friendly amenities such as shared lanes and as the popularity of bicycle commuting rises in Los Angeles County. During the past five years, the city of Los Angeles has added 120 miles of bike lanes, the Times reports.
One-fifth of all hit-and-runs involving bicyclists happened in five cities — Long Beach, Santa Monica, Los Angeles, Van Nuys and North Hollywood — and they disproportionately involved younger people. About 80 percent of these bike-versus-car hit-and-runs weren't resolved. Less than half of those were closed with an arrest, making it hard for injured bikers to collect restitution and pay medical bills.
Leaving the scene of a hit-and-run where someone is killed or seriously injured is a felony, which can carry a sentence of up to four years in prison and $10,000 in fines. Fleeing when there are no serious injuries is a misdemeanor and can carry fines of $1,000 and less than a year in jail.
The solve rate for these accidents is so low that "if you wanted to murder someone, it would almost be better to just hit them with your car," said Assemblyman Mike Gatto, a Los Angeles Democrat who has pushed for stricter hit-and-run penalties for drivers.