As a MUNI Accident Attorney in the San Francisco Bay Area, I have been saying for years that MUNI has ongoing safety issues.  I'd like to report that someone, who is not a lawyer fighting against MUNI, agrees. Maybe soon, MUNI will be safer for riders and other users of San Francisco streets.

It is finally official!  MUNI has been negligent in responding to pervasive safety problems, and could face fines of $20,000 a day, according to a state regulator that Thursday opened an investigation of the transit agency.

Muni says it's being railroaded, claiming to have been blindsided by the charges. The MUNI transit leaders claim they have responded to every request made by the California Public Utilities Commission, the state agency with oversight of rail and light-rail transit systems.

What is most important to me here is that the PUC says that MUNI has been dragging its feet on fixing persistent problems, such as the worn-down tracks at Church and Duboce streets, which carry thousands of commuters each day.  Muni has failed to respond to over 20 findings between 2008 and 2010.  Muni has also apparently failed to provide accident reports.

Safety should be the number one concern of any public transit system.  The violations, if true, risk safe operations and potentially endanger MUNI passengers and others who share the street with MUNI vehicles.

Many types of vehicles make up the San Francisco Municipal Railway: buses, LRVs, street cars, cable cars and electric buses.  Because the San Francisco Bay Area is so sprawling, thousands of residents rely on the MUNI system for public transit on a daily basis. Unfortunately, MUNI vehicles are often involved in serious accidents, causing injury or wrongful deaths to pedestrians, motorists, motorcyclists, bicyclists and MUNI riders alike.

If you or someone you know is involved in a MUNI accident, please call me and I'd be happy to speak with you free of charge to explain your options.

It took the death last year of a Santa Rosa teen in a West College Avenue crosswalk to prompt movement toward a new signal light at the intersection where she was struck, according to an article today in The Press Democrat.

As a San Francisco Pedestrian Accident Lawyer I know that sometimes the roadway is a major player in accidents.  A careful lawyer always looks to see if the condition of the roadway was a substantial factor in causing an injury, both to help explain why our client has been harmed and also to help point out those dangerous roadways to the responsible public entities.

For each accident there are several factors involved and one of those is always the physical configuration of the roadway itself. The road is the scene of the crash and the scene is as much a part of the whole picture as the drivers and the vehicles and the pedestrians involved. A dangerous roadway makes driving safely all the more difficult. Often, with unforgiving roadways, a small driver error can end up with catastrophic consequences.

Up until very recently the message seemed to be, "commute by bicycle at your own risk!"  More people bike in San Francisco every year.  The statistics have grown 60% since 2006 according to this article in the Bay Citizen.

Finally, San Francisco is installing new bike lanes after winning a four-year legal battle.  Innovations like separated lanes on San Francisco's Market Street aim to make bicycle commutes less dangerous.

Despite all of the accidents, many bikers and drivers disagree over whose behavior needs to change most.

As a San Francisco Bicycle Accident Attorney I am a strong advocate for protecting cyclists against dangerous conditions presented by riding in busy traffic.  Bicyclists deserve to have their own dedicated lanes in busy city streets, especially in a progressive city as San Francisco with significant numbers commuting to work by bicycle during rush hour traffic.

I urge cyclists to check out bicycle commuting maps, such as those found on Google Maps, which hopefully demonstrate the safest routes to travel by bicycle.  You can also see where collisions have occurred and other details of crashes.

Many bike accidents are never reported to the police--help make this tool more accurate by reporting your bicycle accident.  Please feel free to contact me if you or anyone you know has been injured in a bicycle accident, and I will help.

I am proud to announce that the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) recently granted approval for me to form and chair a new bicycle litigation group within CAOC.  Consumer Attorneys of California is comprised of more than 3,000 attorneys who represent plaintiffs and consumers seeking recovery in a variety of civil cases related to issues such as:  bicycle accidents; motor vehicle accidents; pedestrian accidents; wrongful death; defective products and drugs; job-related injuries; dangerous premises; civil rights violations; wrongful acts of financial institutions and insurance companies; and medical malpractice.

These types of cases frequently place individual plaintiffs up against large companies who usually have greater power and access to resources. The attorneys of the CAOC work diligently, investing their own resources and efforts, to take on these worthwhile cases, receiving payment only when the case succeeds.

Over the last several years, I have dedicated an important part of my trial practice at Choulos, Choulos & Wyle to working with plaintiffs on cases related to bicycle injuries and accidents.  I cannot tell you what an honor it is to have the opportunity to chair a litigation group specifically focused on these issues.

Being an avid cyclist myself, as well as a resident of the San Francisco Bay Area where cycling is popular not only as a recreational activity, but as a means of transport, I understand and appreciate the importance of protecting cyclists from injury.  I stand behind ensuring their recovery when unfortunate events occur.

The creation of this bicycle litigation group will enable attorneys throughout California to better represent their individual clients in seeking recovery for bicycle-related injuries by providing legal advocates with the information, training opportunities, and networking they need to succeed. This litigation group will also endeavor to promote legal and policy changes that will enhance the rights and protections afforded to bicyclists.

As I work toward creating a litigation group that achieves these ends, I invite other interested CAOC members to join me. I very much look forward to collaborating with other pro-bike lawyers to make bicycling in California a safer and more enjoyable activity for our communities and families.

If you are a CAOC member and this is a practice area that interests you, I encourage you to contact me to see how you can become involved with or benefit from the newly-formed group.