The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) often looks at bicycle accident statistics in an effort to figure out how to make the roads safer for cyclists. There will always be an inherent danger, but that does not mean steps can’t be taken to protect cyclists. Many accidents are easily avoidable.
To get a better idea of the level of risk in the United States, here are a few key statistics from NHTSA:
- The most fatal bicycle accidents happened from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. This is interesting because that is still during daylight hours, so a lack of visibility did not necessarily play a role. This time frame is when 20 percent of deadly accidents occurred.
- By a wide margin, cycling in urban areas was more dangerous than rural areas. A full 71 percent of the deadly wrecks happened on urban streets.
- Overall, cyclists make up a very small percentage of traffic fatalities. In 2016, for instance, they made up just 2.2 percent of the total.
- Roughly one out of three accidents involved alcohol (29 percent). This counts use by both cyclists and drivers, and it only counts cases in which one person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was at the legal limit of .08 percent or greater.
- Men face far higher risks. A full 84 percent of cyclists who died in these accidents were men, and just 16 percent were women.
- Most injuries to men happened to those who ranged in age from 55 years old to 59 years old. This is interesting because it is often assumed that young people face higher risks.
Have you been injured in a bike accident? Make sure you know how to seek financial compensation for your medical bills and other costs.
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