bicycle accident/fatality stats

wade said:

I was just curious if anyone knew of any US statistics for bicycle accidents and what percentage
are fatal? Thanks, Wade

Hey Wade, nice to see you're still alive. Thanks for brightening up the discussions here. ô¿Ô¬

bicyclinginfo.orgfact sheetsOpen ↗ ntl.bts.govdisplay.cfmOpen ↗
zzapp.orgitsahome.htmOpen ↗
lpch.orgwhlstats.htmlOpen ↗
magma.cacomparat.htmlOpen ↗
gosset.wharton.upenn.eduAF80.HTMOpen ↗ - collisions with autos.

Have a nice day :-)

--
*****************************
Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO cycletourist.comcycletourist.comOpen ↗ Integrity is obvious. The lack of it
is common.
*****************************

[email hidden] (wade) wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I was just curious if anyone knew of any US statistics for bicycle accidents and what percentage
are fatal? Thanks, Wade

Below is a copy of a related post I recently saved, though the data posted appear to include both
fatal and non-fatal accidents. I haven't looked at the source cited.

------------------------------------

Subject: Re: Roadies, do you use rear-view mirrors From: Sheldon Brown <[email hidden]>
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.tech,rec.bicycles.misc Reply-To: [email hidden]

A usually reliable source said:

ISTR that the greatest percentage of car-bicyclist fatalities happen when the driver is overtaking
a cyclist going in the same direction.

That's absolutely incorrect. This type of collision amounts to only about 4% of car/bike collisions,
though it does represent a somewhat higher percentage of fatalities.

Here's a chart from: johnforester.comCross01.htmOpen ↗

TABLE A

Type of Accident Percent
A: Cyclist Exited Driveway Into Motorist's Path 8.59
B: Motorist Exited Driveway Into Cyclist's Path 5.73
C: Cyclist Failed to Stop/Yield at Controlled Intersection 8.33
D: Cyclist Made Improper Left Turn 11.20
E: Cyclist Rode on Wrong Side of Street 14.32
F: Motorist Collided With Rear of Cyclist 4.17<-
G: Motorist Failed to Stop/Yield at Controlled Intersection 7.81
H: Motorist Made Improper Left Turn 12.76
I: Motorist Made Improper Right Turn 11.20
J: Motorist Opened Car Door into Cyclist's Path 7.29 Other 8.60

I don't mean to cite this to discourage mirror use, however. I'm a very strong advocate of helmet-
mounted mirrors, and never ride without mine.

Sheldon "Numbers" Brown +-----------------------------------------+
| Well, the truth is usually just | an excuse for a lack of imagination... | --Garak, DS-9 |
+-----------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone 617-244-
9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

F: Motorist Collided With Rear of Cyclist 4.17<-

This happened to me earlier last month. She (the driver) just did not see me and plowed right into
my rear. It was one of the most goddamn violent experiences of my life. If we can't ride road bikes
on the road then it doesn't leave many places where we can ride. I was 13 miles into a century when
all of a sudden my rear wheel began crumbling beneath me and I was launched 20-30 feet onto the
pavement in front of me. I landed direct on my head and everyone said that my helmet probably saved
my life. I don't know about that, but I do believe it saved me from a concussion. I wasted no time
getting off the road for fear that the driver would just keep going and make soup out of me. I was
very focused on my ride so you can imagine how surprised I was when I found this car plowing into
me! My bike was crushed.

Dave

This is an event and an anecdote and NOT a statistic! Everyone said that the helmet saved your life
but what life? Worse, you denigrate the concept of violence as it is usually used.

The conspiracy of ignorance masquerades as common sense.

"onefred" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
| > F: Motorist Collided With Rear of Cyclist 4.17<-
|
| This happened to me earlier last month. She (the driver) just did not see me and plowed right into
| my rear. It was one of the most goddamn violent experiences of my life. If we can't ride road
| bikes on the road then it doesn't leave many places where we can ride. I was 13 miles into a
century
| when all of a sudden my rear wheel began crumbling beneath me and I was launched 20-30 feet onto
| the pavement in front of me. I landed direct on
my
| head and everyone said that my helmet probably saved my life. I don't
know
| about that, but I do believe it saved me from a concussion. I wasted no time getting off the road
| for fear that the driver would just keep going
and
| make soup out of me. I was very focused on my ride so you can imagine how surprised I was when I
| found this car plowing into me! My bike was
crushed.
|
| Dave
|
|
|

"Doug Huffman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

This is an event and an anecdote and NOT a statistic! Everyone said that the helmet saved your
life but what life? Worse, you denigrate the concept of violence as it is usually used.

How do you figure? Many journalists use the phrase "violent accident":

search.yahoo.comsearchOpen ↗

and journalists tend to choose their words carefully.

"Violence" as the word is usually used can describe either accidental or intentional violence. There
is no contradiction in the expression "violent accident."

There is also little practical difference between getting hit by a car or similarly beaten by a
mugger. Either way, your whole day gets ruined, and the hospital will regard your injuries as
equally serious regardless of the source.

-- Daniel Mocsny

"Doug Huffman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

This is an event and an anecdote and NOT a statistic!

Very good. I certainly didn't claim otherwise so your comprehension skills seem to be on-track.

Quoted message said:

Everyone said that the helmet saved your life but what life?

Ee-ouch... A full life to be sure but I'm not going to write an autobiography.

Quoted message said:

Worse, you denigrate the concept of violence as it is usually used.

"Usually"? Thank God then that some of us know the definition of the word 'violence' and can
correctly apply it when appropriate.

Quoted message said:

The conspiracy of ignorance masquerades as common sense.

Uh, OK...

I think, Doug, that you mistook my sharing to mean something else. You seem pretty worked up over
nothing. Just relax, my friend, and don't take things so seriously. "It ain't worth it."

Perhaps you feel that I'm against bicycling and was trying to spread my bicycling diatribe??? I
offered my story not as a warning but as a fact that it does happen. After this accident I was back
on the bike the same afternoon and I certainly think bicycling is great regardless of discipline or
style. This is one among many accidents that I've had and will have. I continue to cycle and will
for a long time (I hope).

I'm so sorry if my story felt like a personal attack towards you and something you love. Obviously,
I hadn't meant to do something like this because it would just be ridiculous to think that it could
be interpreted in such a manner. If you want to see after pictures of the bike, just let me know.

Bicycling is among the more dangerous sports because it involves high speeds and/or rough and
dangerous terrain. You potentially can hurt yourself more by bicycling on the side walk than by
playing a match of volleyball, and bicycling on a street that is shared by automobiles is a much
more dangerous proposition. You are more likely to be seriously injured or killed on a bicycle than
by driving a car on the same street. Anyone considering riding their bike on the streets should know
this. But isn't this obvious without ever being told? What chance does 150 lbs. of flesh have
against an unattentive driver wrapped in 2800 lbs. of steel? It is COMMON SENSE that warns us of
these situations.

Quoted message said:

"onefred" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
| > F: Motorist Collided With Rear of Cyclist 4.17<-
|
| This happened to me earlier last month. She (the driver) just did not

see

Quoted message said:

| me and plowed right into my rear. It was one of the most goddamn

violent

Quoted message said:

| experiences of my life. If we can't ride road bikes on the road then it doesn't leave many
| places where we can ride. I was 13 miles into a
century
| when all of a sudden my rear wheel began crumbling beneath me and I was launched 20-30 feet onto
| the pavement in front of me. I landed direct

on

Quoted message said:

my
| head and everyone said that my helmet probably saved my life. I don't
know
| about that, but I do believe it saved me from a concussion. I wasted no time getting off the
| road for fear that the driver would just keep going
and
| make soup out of me. I was very focused on my ride so you can imagine

how

Quoted message said:

| surprised I was when I found this car plowing into me! My bike was
crushed.
|
| Dave
|
|
|

A guy gets hit by a car, could have been killed and someone has to attack him on this group. Maybe
you were the one driving the car!

"onefred" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

F: Motorist Collided With Rear of Cyclist 4.17<-

This happened to me earlier last month. She (the driver) just did not see me and plowed right into
my rear. It was one of the most goddamn violent experiences of my life. If we can't ride road
bikes on the road then it doesn't leave many places where we can ride. I was 13 miles into a

century

Quoted message said:

when all of a sudden my rear wheel began crumbling beneath me and I was launched 20-30 feet onto
the pavement in front of me. I landed direct on

my

Quoted message said:

head and everyone said that my helmet probably saved my life. I don't

know

Quoted message said:

about that, but I do believe it saved me from a concussion. I wasted no time getting off the road
for fear that the driver would just keep going

and

Quoted message said:

make soup out of me. I was very focused on my ride so you can imagine how surprised I was when I
found this car plowing into me! My bike was

crushed.

Quoted message said:

Dave

"Paul" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

A guy gets hit by a car, could have been killed and someone has to attack him on this group. Maybe
you were the one driving the car!

Go easy on him. I will want people to go easy on me when I'm old like him.

Dave

Quoted message said:

"onefred" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

F: Motorist Collided With Rear of Cyclist 4.17<-

This happened to me earlier last month. She (the driver) just did not

see

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

me and plowed right into my rear. It was one of the most goddamn

violent

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

experiences of my life. If we can't ride road bikes on the road then it doesn't leave many
places where we can ride. I was 13 miles into a

century

Quoted message said:

when all of a sudden my rear wheel began crumbling beneath me and I was launched 20-30 feet onto
the pavement in front of me. I landed direct

on

Quoted message said:

my

Quoted message said:

head and everyone said that my helmet probably saved my life. I don't

know

Quoted message said:

about that, but I do believe it saved me from a concussion. I wasted no time getting off the
road for fear that the driver would just keep going

and

Quoted message said:

make soup out of me. I was very focused on my ride so you can imagine

how

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

surprised I was when I found this car plowing into me! My bike was

crushed.

Quoted message said:

Dave