The Biking Lawyer is making reporting collisions easier and more effective

David Shellnutt is a Toronto-based lawyer who represents victims of traffic violence or collisions, and has become a key voice in the push for better cycling infrastructure. He pivoted from working at a large law firm to opening his own practice.

“I was hit and seriously injured in a bike lane. Despite reporting this at a collision reporting centre, the driver was not charged, and the incident was not recorded as a collision. My crash didn’t happen,” he said.

A terrible incident was the catalyst for The Biking Lawyer

To ensure this does not happen, his firm, The Biking Lawyer and BC-based BikeMaps.org have partnered in Ontario.

The purpose for the partnership is twofold. Firstly, it will give individual cyclists QR code access to streamlined online collision reporting tools that help them in the immediate aftermath of a crash. Furthermore, it will help the cycling community gather data on bike versus car crashes to inform policy and shape decisions.

This morning @NEWSTALK1010 @MooreintheAM & I talked about a 2020 increase in cyclists being injured. I said it was a perfect storm of dangerous drivers, many more new cyclists on the road, & minimal/inconsistent safe cycling infrastructure province wide! https://t.co/DfgRNxNNSC

— The Biking Lawyer (Dave Shellnutt) (@TheBikingLawyer) May 2, 2022

The Biking Lawyer Crash Report provides a streamlined and roadside ready online form to gather critical collision information and upload photos. A copy is then instantly emailed to the person who entered it.

BikeMaps.org will also allow cyclists to map their collision and input key details. Citizen mappers use the BikeMaps.org website to mark a location where a bicycling crash or near miss occurred and provide details on rider experience, safety behaviors, bicycling environment, bicycling infrastructure, personal and trip characteristics, and injury.

By using data to show danger zones, the goal is to provide municipalities with solutions.