Fuel truck driver arrested after running over woman on bicycle

Tragically, a New York woman was killed by a fuel truck recently while riding her bicycle to work. Police arrested the truck driver at the scene for allegedly causing the woman’s death, though there are few details in an article by WCBS-TV.

What is known is that the victim was riding in the bike lane the morning of June 7 as the suspect was driving his fuel truck behind her. The driver attempted a left turn but reportedly failed to yield to the victim. The truck ran her over and trapped her under its wheels.

First responders took the victim to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. She was 27.

Among the “several charges” against the truck driver is failure to yield, WCBS says. Police do not believe the suspect was impaired by drugs or alcohol, but are continuing to investigate.

Without knowing more about this particular incident, a common reason drivers run into bicyclists is that they failed to notice the bike. Semi truck drivers, who tend to be further up off the road than passenger cars and trucks, may have a relatively difficult time seeing pedestrians and bikes around them.

But this does not excuse truck drivers from looking carefully before changing lanes or turning, especially when on city streets. They owe pedestrians and bicycle riders a duty to act responsibly, because when truckers fail, death is an all too common result.