What’s Behind the Rise in Bike Fatalities?
Studies suggest a number of factors — including negative attitudes toward cyclists
Bicycling along any road, especially a busy one, comes with risks. But a steady rise in cyclist deaths has riders worried. Bicyclist fatalities in the United States — while relatively small overall compared to other risks like driving — rose 25% from 2010 to 2017, the most recent year studied. In New York City, through early July 2019, there have already been 14 cycling deaths, compared to a total of about 17 per year in the past. This included a recent “spate of three deaths in a little over a week,” which the New York Times called a cycling-death “emergency.” And while bicycling deaths used to involve mostly children, the average age of victims is now 45.
The rising death toll among cyclists is attributed in part to perennial factors like unsafe road conditions ( lack of bike lanes), driver inattention, and poor cyclist visibility, as well as the increased popularity of cycling. In addition, an underlying cause has emerged: negative attitudes toward cyclists.
