According to the US Department of Transportation estimate, bicycle trips represent just 1% of all trips in the US. Yet bicyclists account for 2% of the people who die when their vehicle collides with another on our country’s roadways.
Injuries and Fatalities
Statistics indicate that nearly 1,000 bicyclists are killed and more than 130,000 injured in collisions that occur on roads in the United States every year.
Expenses
Bicycle accidents cost the US around $23 billion annually, and injuries and fatalities are on the rise. These expenses include medical costs and loss of work productivity, plus the estimated losses concerning the quality of life and lost lives.
Risk Factors Differ by Age and Gender
There are certain populations that are more susceptible to bicycle-related injuries and death.
Bicycle deaths are the highest among 55-69 year old adults.
Youth, teens, and young adults experience the highest number of bicycle injuries that end up in EDs. Young people between the ages of 10 and 24 represent almost one-third of all bicycle injuries reported to US EDs.
Mortality and injury rates are, respectively, 6 and 5 times higher for male bikers than for females.
Some 64% of bicyclist fatalities happen on sections of road beyond the intersection (where faster speeds could be reached), and 27% at the intersection.
In about one in three cases of bicyclist deaths, the car driver and/or bicyclist both consumed alcohol prior to the incident.
Successful Intervention Strategies
The accidents and deaths of bicyclists can be avoided. The following are some of the things that can help prevent bicycle-related incidents:
Bicycle helmets
Bicycle helmets help protect against head and brain damage during a crash. Bicyclists of all ages can save their lives by wearing properly fitted bicycle helmets at all times.
Bicycle helmet laws
Bicycle helmet laws work to encourage riders to wear helmets and, consequently, reduce injuries and deaths among young and adult bicyclists.
Innovative Intervention Approaches
Rider visibility and active lighting are both interventions that have been found to be effective in reducing the number of cyclists who are injured and killed. For example:
During the day, fluorescent clothing can make cyclists easier to see from further away than ordinary clothing.
Retro-reflective fabric and materials can make cyclists more visible in the dark.
Bicyclists might have better visibility thanks to active lighting, which is required when cycling at night in most states. For active lighting, use front white lights, rear red lights, and other lights.
