Number of Bicycle Fatalities on the Rise

Disturbing new statistics indicate that the number of people killed in bicycle accidents in the United States is on the rise across the country, especially in the larger cities.

That increase comes after several years of declining fatalities in accidents. Between 1975 and 2010, the number of bicycle fatalities across the country actually dropped. However, between 2010 and 2012, those fatalities decreased by 16%. In 2012, more than 700 bicyclist accident fatalities were recorded on American roads.

Those statistics came from the Governors Highway Safety Association, which also found that a large percentage of those bicycle accident fatalities occurred in very densely populated cities or urban areas. The number of fatalities in cities has actually risen from 50% in 1975, to 69% in 2012.

It isn’t hard for California bicycle accident lawyers to understand why. There has been a significant increase in the number of bicyclists in urban areas, and more adults are now bicycling to work. However, in many cities, that increase in bicycling populations has not exactly corresponded with an increase in bicycle safety infrastructure. That has led to situations where bicyclists and motorists are frequently in contact with each other, and that contact is often tinged with friction.

Many of the bicycle accident fatalities recorded in 2012 were entirely preventable. Approximately 2/3rd of the fatalities involved non-helmeted bicyclists. In 2012, approximately 30% of the fatalities involved drunken drivers, or legally intoxicated drivers.

Besides, over the years, there have been significant changes in the number and demographics of bicycle accident fatalities. The average age of a bicycle accident victim in the country has increased. In 1975, 21% of bicycle accident fatalities were adults. in 2012, 84% of bicycle accident fatalities involved adults.