Nationally cyclist deaths up by 16%.
10-28-14, 10:27 AM
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Nationally cyclist deaths up by 16%.
If you are going to be killed by a car while riding a bicycle, there’s a good chance you are male, older than 20 and living in California or Florida.
That’s the finding of a report issued Monday by the Governors Highway Safety Assn. that also noted that between 2010 and 2012, U.S. bicyclist deaths increased by 16%.
California, with 338 cyclists killed in collisions with motor vehicles, and Florida, with 329, had the highest totals during that period, the report said.
The 16% increase was far greater than other motor vehicle fatalities, which rose by just 1% during this same time period.
That’s the finding of a report issued Monday by the Governors Highway Safety Assn. that also noted that between 2010 and 2012, U.S. bicyclist deaths increased by 16%.
California, with 338 cyclists killed in collisions with motor vehicles, and Florida, with 329, had the highest totals during that period, the report said.
The 16% increase was far greater than other motor vehicle fatalities, which rose by just 1% during this same time period.
The report goes on to note that there appears to be more cyclists commuting today than in the last several years, and that the exposure of more cyclists to motor vehicles is perhaps why there is an increase in cyclist fatalities.
The report said cyclists are safest with a physical separation of bicycles and motor vehicles by providing “cycle paths.” But it noted that such separated paths “are rarely feasible.”
In the absence of separated paths, states and cities should consider:
- Building more marked bike lanes.
- Bicycle boulevards that travel through a network of traffic-calmed roads that parallel urban arterials.
- Using bike boxes - a space in a lane before an intersection solely for bikes – that provide bicycle visibility and protection against cars turning right across the bike’s path. So called “right hooks” where cars turn right into the path of a bicycle that has the right of way are one of the most common car-bicycle crashes.
- Build separate bicycle traffic signals with advance green lights for cyclists.
Be careful out there, especially in CA and FL.
10-28-14, 02:06 PM
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Bicycle traffic deaths soar; California leads nation - LA Times
The report goes on to note that there appears to be more cyclists commuting today than in the last several years, and that the exposure of more cyclists to motor vehicles is perhaps why there is an increase in cyclist fatalities.
The report goes on to note that there appears to be more cyclists commuting today than in the last several years, and that the exposure of more cyclists to motor vehicles is perhaps why there is an increase in cyclist fatalities.
The most disturbing piece of information in the report was this statement: "Adequate exposure data are not available to accurately monitor changes in bicycle travel ..."
How can we evaluate what is safe and what is not if we lack adequate usage statistics? Evaluations of various infrastructure designs need to be based on a bicycle-miles-traveled to number of accidents ratio. Raw data that show only the number of accidents can be very misleading.
Well said!
10-28-14, 02:11 PM
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... If we make non-fossil-fuel transportation and recreation a priority, the sickness of an automobile-centric society can be healed. Ultimately, there's probably no alternative we can live with. The current model is not sustainable. Those who plan most effectively for the demise of the automobile culture will fare the best.
10-28-14, 02:27 PM
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I'm with WT on the need for better data. All the automobile stats are normalized to "per vehicle mile" or "per passenger mile." I understand that these data are more difficult to obtain for cyclists, given we don't report our miles to license, insurance, or service entities. Still, it should shock absolutely nobody that California, with over 10% of the total U.S. population, should have the greatest number of fatal bike accidents -- if nothing else, adjust for state populations.
10-28-14, 02:39 PM
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First, cars aren't cheap. Rental programs are already gaining in popularity for people who only need a car occasionally. Younger people, at least for now, are turning away from cars in increasing numbers in part because of the cost. Car prices will only continue to escalate and people will increasingly demand alternative forms of transportation.
Secondly, car culture has created an undesirable amount of suburban sprawl. We've lost our local farms and our woodlands to build more subdivisions. Many Americans have very long commutes to work. Is this the society we want? Eventually, a redesigned society will bring jobs closer to where people live and will create more housing where jobs already exist. Spending your life sitting in rush hour traffic is no way to live.
Finally, cars are anti-social and alienating. They cut us off from each other; they isolate us from our environment as we cruise around in our own little climate-controlled bubbles and, unlike bicycles, walking or mass transit, they bankrupt us from our own humanity. Are they convenient? Sure, but we pay an extraordinary price for that convenience. Perhaps, in time, more will come to understand this.
These changes, of course, will not be happening anytime soon. But, sooner or later, the will of the masses coupled with simple economic necessity will bring about more mass transit and a redesign of our cities and towns.
10-28-14, 02:55 PM
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Good quality separate paths are only "rarely feasible" when they are not planned for and when funds are not allocated...
Of course, the above are basically bandaids in a world that has been ripped up and re-designed for motor vehicles, while leaving out the possibility of walking, cycling and public transit.
Of course, the above are basically bandaids in a world that has been ripped up and re-designed for motor vehicles, while leaving out the possibility of walking, cycling and public transit.
It's all about priorities and as long as we prioritize people being able to save 2 minutes getting home over others lives (and health, obesity, ...) then we'll continue to have the lowest life expectancy in the developed world.
10-28-14, 03:57 PM
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Finally, cars are anti-social and alienating. They cut us off from each other; they isolate us from our environment as we cruise around in our own little climate-controlled bubbles and, unlike bicycles, walking or mass transit, they bankrupt us from our own humanity. Are they convenient? Sure, but we pay an extraordinary price for that convenience. Perhaps, in time, more will come to understand this.
But face it, cars are too convenient- they aren't going away. It's better to work out some type of coexistence because a car-free future is a panacea.
10-28-14, 04:17 PM
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Bike Portland has a good response to the Governor's Highway Safety association report. Too bad it won't receive the distribution of the LA Times article.
Last edited by Recycle; 10-28-14 at 04:21 PM.
10-28-14, 05:56 PM
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I don't see a lot of social interaction when I ride public transit. Everyone is still inside their bubble. Most of the other stuff I can agree with. Especially the waste of a long commute.
But face it, cars are too convenient- they aren't going away. It's better to work out some type of coexistence because a car-free future is a panacea.
But face it, cars are too convenient- they aren't going away. It's better to work out some type of coexistence because a car-free future is a panacea.
10-28-14, 06:02 PM
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Bike Portland has a good response to the Governor's Highway Safety association report. Too bad it won't receive the distribution of the LA Times article.
10-28-14, 06:19 PM
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Except that the BikePortland response falls in love with 2009, a year that had a huge, across the board increase in cycling, as the current year when the Gov's report is looking at 2010-2012, a period in which many localities have seen a flattening or even a decrease in cycling. Locally, we've lost 30% since the peak in 2009 (and it feels like a lot more). BikePortland should compare apples to apples, not to blackberries, unless they want raspberry responses.
10-28-14, 07:03 PM
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Except that the BikePortland response falls in love with 2009, a year that had a huge, across the board increase in cycling, as the current year when the Gov's report is looking at 2010-2012, a period in which many localities have seen a flattening or even a decrease in cycling. Locally, we've lost 30% since the peak in 2009 (and it feels like a lot more). BikePortland should compare apples to apples, not to blackberries, unless they want raspberry responses.
10-28-14, 07:24 PM
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The cycling/fixie/hipster craze has [anecdotally] seemed to increase the use of bicycles as a form of drinking transportation. I'd be willing to guess that alcohol/cycling use and cycling death stats... have risen proportionally.
Last edited by Dave Cutter; 10-28-14 at 07:42 PM.
10-28-14, 07:30 PM
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Even the deadly two didn't see much change in rideship. FL went from its peak of 0.7% in 2009 to 0.6% in 2010 and back to 0.7% in 2012. Similar story in CA.
We're looking pretty flat for numbers of commuters. Maybe folks are riding more often and/or further, but I just don't know. Locally that sure isn't the case (and seems to not be happening in PDX either). Do you have a better source that would support the notion that there is some sort of national increase in cycling?
10-28-14, 07:46 PM
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There was a 16% increase in cycling fatalities between 2010-2012. Percentage of bicycle commuters, according to the US Census ACS, has stayed flat nationwide at 0.6%. If there had been a comparable increase in cycling relative to the death increase then it should have shown up, but it didn't. At least it didn't go down.
I would assume that the cycling fatality numbers include children as well as all sorts of recreational riders
10-28-14, 07:52 PM
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But that is where the math gets tricky! If children's cycling deaths remain at 50% of the increased (by 16%) number... that would mean an equal increase in children's cycling deaths. Such a measurable increased danger in a child's toy could lead to a product ban.
Last edited by Dave Cutter; 10-28-14 at 07:59 PM.
10-28-14, 08:59 PM
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Bike Portland has a good response to the Governor's Highway Safety association report. Too bad it won't receive the distribution of the LA Times article.
But the interesting thing is that like the reports that Ken Kiefer once wrote... per trip, cycling appears quite safe... but, on a mile to mile basis, compared to using a motor vehicle, which is EXACTLY what commuting cyclists are doing, replacing miles driven with miles they bike... I wonder how the numbers look.
Generally however Bike Portland, when looking at all the facts, from a cyclists perspective... does seem to say... hey, things are getting better.
10-28-14, 08:59 PM
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i don't have time to look the numbers up now but as i recall 2010 was ~0.5% and change and it's gone up to over 0.6% in 2013. on a percentage basis that is a large change.
10-28-14, 09:02 PM
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i would ask everyone to remember the politics at work here. the governor's highway safety association predominantly represents a political constituency that is opposed to active transport.
10-28-14, 09:03 PM
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Presumably the cycling fatalities numbers are not limited to commuting cyclists and it is a mistake to assume that changes in numbers of commuters necessarily represent trends in overall cycling.
I would assume that the cycling fatality numbers include children as well as all sorts of recreational riders
I would assume that the cycling fatality numbers include children as well as all sorts of recreational riders
10-28-14, 09:04 PM
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How does that make sense, when they clearly recommend changes to the cycling networks to improve cyclist safety... of course one could say those recommendations are skewed to paint and path solutions...
10-28-14, 09:08 PM
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What?!?!?!? A politician that lies to make him/her self look better and/or more successful? Who would have ever guessed. Is it also true that much of the funding for bicycle infrastructure is funneled through park budgets... which are the last bastions of corruption and nepotism?
Last edited by Dave Cutter; 10-28-14 at 09:14 PM.
10-28-14, 09:36 PM
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Roads were built to accommodate motor vehicles with little concern for pedestrians and bicyclists. Integrating motor vehicles and bicycles in already-built environments presents challenges. The most protective way to accomplish this is through total physical separation of bicycles and motor vehicles. Research confirms that “cycle paths,” which do this, provide the best safety (Teschke, 2012), but they are rarely feasible.
10-28-14, 09:51 PM
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I looked it up so you don't have to. Nationwide the percentage of commuting done by bike has been at 0.6% since 2009. In fact, it's still 0.6% in 2013, the latest year for which data is available.
10-28-14, 09:56 PM
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Presumably the cycling fatalities numbers are not limited to commuting cyclists and it is a mistake to assume that changes in numbers of commuters necessarily represent trends in overall cycling.
I would assume that the cycling fatality numbers include children as well as all sorts of recreational riders
I would assume that the cycling fatality numbers include children as well as all sorts of recreational riders
I suppose one could play with Strava and look for the correlation or lack thereof between regional commuter numbers and recreational/total riding. It still wouldn't be complete, but it might disprove the assumption that the two correlate. Why don't you go for it? That should keep you busy for a while.