It’s National Bike Safety Month: Don’t Become a Statistic
May is National Bike Safety Month, and communities throughout California and the United States are marking the occasion by improving their bicycle safety.
Bicycle safety is a major concern in Long Beach and other areas. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), bicycle accidents are one of the few categories of traffic crashes that haven’t experienced decreases in recent years. Instead, the number of bicycle accidents on U.S. roads has held steady or actually increased.
Here are a few more sobering statistics about bicycling:
- In 2011, 677 people nationwide died in bicycle accidents – a rate of about two per day. In total, two percent of all car crash deaths were suffered by bicyclists.
- In 2011, 48,000 people were injured in bicycle accidents, an increase from a record low of 41,000 in 2003.
- Between 2001 and 2011, bicycle accident injuries rose 6.7 percent, while deaths rose 7.5 percent.
- Researchers estimate that only ten percent of bicycle accident injuries are actually recorded by police and other record-keeping agencies. This means that as many as 480,000 people per year may actually be injured in bicycle accidents.
- The National Safety Council estimates that bicycle accidents, injuries, and deaths cost Americans over $4 billion in medical bills, wrecked property, and lost wages and productivity.
- Although these numbers look grim, there is promising news. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that improvements like bike lanes, universal helmet laws, and better safety education have all helped bicyclists stay safer on the roads.
For these reasons, experienced California bicycle accident lawyers are dedicated to helping their neighbors avoid bicycle crashes whenever possible. If you’re in an accident this summer, don’t hesitate to contact an attorney who can tell you more about your legal rights and options.