Truck Driver Hits Cyclist in Fatal Franklin Avenue Right Turn
On May 1, 2023, a driver in a truck making a right turn at Franklin Avenue and Lexington Avenue hit Adam Uster as he rode southbound, and the 39-year-old cyclist later died at New York Presbyterian, Gothamist reported.
What We Know
Adam Uster was riding south on Franklin Avenue in Brooklyn on the morning of May 1, 2023, when a truck driver making a right turn at Lexington Avenue hit him, according to Gothamist’s account citing police and video. The city crash record lists one cyclist killed and records failure to yield right-of-way as a contributing factor. Gothamist reported that Uster, a 39-year-old Crown Heights resident, was taken to New York Presbyterian and pronounced dead. Days later, family, friends and street-safety advocates gathered at the intersection for a vigil and ghost bike installation.
A right turn on Franklin Avenue
The crash happened at about 11:32 a.m. on May 1, 2023, at Franklin Avenue and Lexington Avenue in Brooklyn. Gothamist reported, citing police and video obtained by Streetsblog, that Adam Uster was riding southbound on Franklin Avenue when a truck driver making a right turn at Lexington Avenue hit him.
The city crash record also places both the truck driver and the cyclist traveling south before the crash, with the truck driver making a right turn and the cyclist going straight ahead. The record lists one person killed and no other injuries.
Adam Uster was remembered as a cyclist and advocate
Gothamist identified the cyclist as Adam Uster, a 39-year-old Crown Heights resident, and reported that he was taken to New York Presbyterian, where he was pronounced dead.
At a vigil, Uster’s wife, Frederique Uster-Hug, described his long history with biking and said he had introduced her to riding in New York City. Friends described Uster as altruistic, a great friend and a loving father, and several said he encouraged them to start biking.
The truck description differs by source
The official crash record lists a 2021 Isuzu truck classified as a dump truck and a bike. Gothamist described the truck as a 2021 Isuzu flat-bed truck. Both sources describe the truck driver turning right as Uster rode southbound.
Failure to yield was recorded
The city crash record lists failure to yield right-of-way as the contributing factor for the truck driver. The reviewed article did not report charges.
Franklin Avenue has a recent history of serious harm
The crash occurred at Franklin Avenue and Lexington Avenue in Brooklyn. CrashCountNYC’s Franklin Avenue corridor context counts 745 crashes, 422 injuries, 22 serious injuries and 3 deaths since 2022.
A vigil became a call for safer streets
Gothamist reported that dozens of family members, friends and street-safety advocates gathered at Franklin Avenue and Lexington Avenue for a vigil and ghost bike installation. Transportation Alternatives helped plan the vigil, and its executive director, Danny Harris, called on city officials to deliver promised street-safety changes.