Cyclists are particularly vulnerable when they become involved in a motor vehicle collision. Spinal cord injuries, serious brain injuries and many other types of injuries can shatter the lives of cyclists and their loved ones in an instant. Even though many bicyclists wear helmets correctly and focus on safety while moving vehicles are present, reckless drivers continue to cause many of these accidents.
Bicyclists and drivers should review data on bike accident injuries to realize the prevalence of these crashes and focus on road safety.
Statistics on bike accident injuries
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that on an annual basis, more than 130,000 bicyclists suffer injuries in traffic collisions. Data also shows that almost 1,000 cyclists lose their lives each year. In fact, bicycle trips represent only 1% of all road trips but 2% of all road deaths. Bicyclists between the ages of 55 and 69 have higher rates of bike accident deaths than cyclists of other ages.
Other data on bike accidents
Statistics show that males are five times more likely to become hurt in bike accidents than females. Also, cyclists between 10 and 24 account for almost one out of every three injured cyclists treated in emergency departments. Most fatal bike accidents take place on urban roads, outside of intersections.
Sadly, bicyclists continue to suffer catastrophic injuries. These injuries can lead to immobility, which could prevent one from working and cause additional hardships. Mental trauma, relationship problems, financial challenges and many other difficulties can affect bike accident injury victims.