Across Florida, riding a bicycle can be an economical and enjoyable way to get around. Riding a bike is a great form of exercise and a viable option of transportation all year long. Bicycling in the cooler winter months can be particularly enjoyable. Bike riding can be a cost-effective way to commute to work one or more days each week or to travel to the beach on the weekend. Biking regularly is also an excellent way to maintain cardiovascular fitness and a healthy weight. However, cycling can also be dangerous, especially for novice cyclists or recreational riders who are riding in traffic.
In busy metropolitan areas like Tampa, Orlando, and Miami, bicyclists face the threat of serious accident-related injuries every day. On almost a weekly basis, news reports of bicycle accidents and catastrophic injuries appear online, on television, or in the paper. This is partly due to the fact that there are more recreational cyclists than ever before.
Florida has ranked consistently over the past several years as one of the top three states in the US with the most fatal bicycle accidents. Cyclists riding in or around any of Florida’s major cities are particularly encouraged to wear a helmet at all times and to exercise tremendous care every time they pedal away from home.
Florida’s Cities Pose Heightened Dangers to Cyclists
In 2012, the state of Florida ranked as the number 2 most dangerous state for cyclists. More alarming, though, was the national ranking of most of Florida’s major cities in comparison to other metropolitan areas across the United States. According to a 2012 study completed by Transportation for America, the following ranked as the top 5 most dangerous metropolitan areas for bicyclists in the entire US:
1. Orlando/Kissimmee, FL
2. Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater, FL
3. Jacksonville, FL
4. Miami/Fort Lauderdale/Pompano, FL
5. Riverside/San Bernardino/Ontario, CA
20 Bicycle Accident and Injury Statistics
A large number of bicycle accidents occur when motorists fail to yield to cyclists at intersections. Other accidents occur on small streets, parking lot exits or easements, or when a cyclist emerges from in between parked or stopped vehicles. Here are a few key points taken from the University of Florida’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Safety Plan:
The following statistics describe a few common risk factors for bicycle accidents and injuries in the US:
- Approximately 17 million new bicycles are sold in the US each year
- A cyclist not wearing a helmet is 14 times more likely to die in a bicycle accident
- A high proportion of nighttime bicycle fatalities often involve a cyclist disobeying traffic laws, a bicycle lacking lights, and/or alcohol intoxication
- About 15 percent of all bicycle accident fatalities involve victims under the age of 16
- According to the National Survey of Bicyclist and Pedestrian Attitudes and Behavior, only 50 percent of cyclists wear their helmets occasionally, while only 35 percent wear their helmets at all times
- Adolescents and young adults (ages 15 to 24) and adults (ages 45 and older) are the two age groups with the highest bicycle accident fatality rates
- At least 33 percent of fatal bicycle accidents involve a car overtaking/passing a cyclist headed in the same direction
- At least 75 percent of all bicyclists who die in accidents each year die from traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Based on annual statistics, about 12 cyclists are hurt in accidents every week in Florida, while about 2 more cyclists are killed.
- Between 2007 and 2011, there were 532 fatal bicycle accidents crashes on Florida roads
- Bicyclist deaths represent roughly 2 percent of the nation’s total annual traffic fatalities
- Children (ages 5 to 14), adolescents, and young adults (15-24 years) have the highest rates of nonfatal bicycle-related injuries, representing nearly 60 percent of all bicycle-related injuries treated in US emergency departments
- During that same timeframe, 21,935 cyclists were injured in accidents with motor vehicles
- Each year, an estimated 67,000 cyclists visit an emergency room because of an accident-related head injury
- Experts say that about 85 percent of the head trauma cases caused by bicycle accidents could have been prevented if the rider was wearing a properly fitted helmet
- In the US, 48,000 bicyclists were injured in traffic accidents in 2011 – that figure was down from 52,000 reported in 2010
- Males are much more likely to be involved in a serious or fatal bicycle accident than females
- Most bicycle fatalities take place in urban areas and at non-intersection locations
- Nearly 75 percent of fatal bicycle accidents involve deadly head injuries
- One cyclist is killed in a traffic accident every six hours in the United States
Bicycle Accidents and Liability
The majority of bicycle accidents involving serious injury or death occur at or near intersections. The most frequent type of intersection collisions involving bicycles, which represent 9.7 percent of all intersection accidents, occurs where the cyclist has a stop sign and the motorist does not. After stopping at the stop sign, the cyclist then rides out into the intersection in front of a car that legally possesses the right-of-way. Most of these types of accidents occur among riders younger than age 15.
References:
Springfield Racing
US CDC
