Transportation

Road users and those riding public transit or other forms of travel can face serious risk. Our Transportation section focuses on bicycle, motorcycle, car, and pedestrian accidents, crash statistics, regulatory change, vehicle defects, and wrongful-death outcomes—providing practical guidance before and after an accident.

San Francisco Police Sergeant DUI Arrest, Hit-and-Run

It’s not every day that I write about an SFPD sergeant doing something wrong, let alone a DUI offense or a hit-and-run. I don’t like to report wrongdoing by police officers, however at least with public employees, we can hope that the public entity will…

By Claude Wyle

/ 13 Nov 2013

Two Drivers Arrested After Motorcycle Fatality

Two motorists have been arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated (DUI) in connection with the death of a motorcyclist this past Sunday. The death of San Lorenzo resident Jose Alfredo Curiel occurred in the midst of a freeway confrontation in East Oakland, when Curiel’s Harley Davidson was

By Claude Wyle

/ 10 Nov 2013

Boy killed on bike outside of school

A 12 year old boy was killed outside of his middle school last month after being struck by a SUV driven by the mother of another classmate. Burgess Hu, a student at Excelsior Middle School, was hit in front of the school as parents dropped their…

By Claude Wyle

/ 9 Nov 2013

San Francisco Park & Rec Worker Runs Over and Kills Sunbathing Mother

A mother, 35-year-old Christy Svanemyr, and 11-month-old baby girl go to the park one day on a sunny day. She is run over and killed by a park worker while she is sunbathing on the grass. Can you imagine the horror and the aftermath for this…

By Claude Wyle

/ 6 Nov 2013

Product Recalls Reduce Automobile Crash Injuries

Are you tired of hearing about automobile recalls? Automakers this year have announced 143 recalls in only 273 days, affecting almost 18.5 million cars, well north of new vehicle sales this year. Recalls have been on the rise in recent years, as nearly half a century of data…

By Claude Wyle

/ 1 Nov 2013

Bad Brakes for Suzuki Motorcycles and Nissan Cars Cause Recalls

In the wake of three recalls earlier this year, both automobile and motorcycle manufacturers Nissan and Suzuki are issuing further recalls primarily for safety issues involving inadequate stopping power for both cars and motorcycles. Nissan is set to recall approximately 153,000 of their sport utili

By Claude Wyle

/ 30 Oct 2013

Muni Bus Kills Cyclist

Tragically another cyclist is dead after being run over by a San Francisco Muni bus this past Friday, October 18, 2013. The fatal bicycle crash, occurring at 8:40pm, shut down the streets surrounding the Bryant and Division intersection. Although little is currently known of the events surrounding t

By Claude Wyle

/ 22 Oct 2013

Was Intent or Insanity Involved in a Fatal San Francisco Car Crash?

The female driver of a silver Mercedes SUV, Jennie Zhu, faces vehicular manslaughter charges after the Friday, September 27 6:55 a.m. car crash at Pine and Gough Streets in San Francisco. Slamming her car violently into the back of the minivan driven by 16-year-old Kevin San’s…

By Claude Wyle

/ 30 Sep 2013

San Jose Hit and Run Bicycle Fatality Still Unsolved

It has been nearly three weeks since 52 year old Bipin Patel was struck and killed by a driver as he pedaled home from work one afternoon. Patel, who lived just three miles from his job, was struck on Great Mall Parkway by a maroon SUV going…

By Claude Wyle

/ 6 Sep 2013

Twitter Leads to Murder Charge in California Bicycle Accident Case

Whether you have been along for the ride or you are slow to arrive, social media is growing exponentially, and Facebook and Twitter, among other social sites, are common household names. For better or worse, social networking sites spread information faster than any other media.…

By Claude Wyle

/ 6 Sep 2013

San Francisco Tour Bus Accident Injures Four Passengers

Four tourists were hospitalized in a San Francisco tour bus accident last month after a double-decker open-air tour bus struck a low hanging power line. The tour bus accident occurred in the 400 block of 12th avenue, near Geary Boulevard, and involved a bus owned by Big Bus Tours San Francisco. The

By Claude Wyle

/ 30 Aug 2013

Three Serious Personal Injuries from San Francisco Truck vs. Taxi Crash

San Francisco crashes can get pretty dramatic and complicated, as evidenced by this recent truck vs. taxi collision, which sent three people to the hospital, one with life-threatening injuries. Please understand that I am not in any way making light of this crash or of the…

By Claude Wyle

/ 30 Aug 2013