Every year, thousands of bicyclists are injured and an unlucky few die as a result of traffic accidents. The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that 743 American bicyclists met their end after an accident in 2013 alone. While these deaths were just 2.3% of the total traffic accident fatalities, the vulnerability of riding a bike in between speeding car traffic becomes all too apparent.
To help you understand more clearly just how common bicycle accidents can be, here is a list of Hawaii bicycle accident statistics as well as U.S. bicycle accident statistics for you to consider:
Note: Statistics shown correspond to the most recent available data
2008–2012 Hawaii Bicycle Accident Statistics
- Between 2008 and 2012 13 bicyclists were killed in accidents throughout Hawaii
- 77% (10) of the deaths happened on Oahu
- 85% (11) were males
- Only two victims were wearing helmets; the helmet use of four was unknown
- 1,456 bicyclists were injured in 2013
- Kauai County had the highest rate of injuries
- The number of injured Hawaiian bicyclists has increased since 2008
- 92% of Hawaiian bicyclists involved in accidents required emergency treatment
- 31% of Emergency Department cyclist patients were between 5 and 14 years old
- 66% of patients had fractures that included 16% skull fractures and 20% leg fractures
- Over one-third (37%) of ED patients incurred traumatic brain injuries
2013 U.S. Bicycle Accident and Fatalities Statistics
- The U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) estimates that 48,000 bicyclists were injured in motor vehicles crashes
- As stated above, 743 cyclists died as a result of collisions with motor vehicles
- 2013 cyclist deaths increased 1% from 2012, which had 734 deaths
- Since 2010, cyclist fatalities have increased by 19%
- 24% of bicyclists who died in accidents had blood alcohol levels (BAC) above 0.01
- 20% of killed bicyclists had BACs above 0.08, the legal limit for being considered “drunk” or “under the influence”
- Alcohol was involved in 29% of all motor vehicle to bicycle crashes, either because of the vehicle driver or the bicyclist having BACs above 0.08
Profiles of the Average Bicyclist Killed in a Traffic Accident in 2013
- Males riders accounted for 87% of all fatalities and 83% of all injuries
- 91% of males killed were between 55 and 59 years old
- The average age of all cyclists killed in accidents was 41
- The average age of injured cyclists was 31
- These ages have steadily increased since 2004
- 7% of cyclists killed and 11% of those injured were children under the age of 15
- 20–24 year old cyclists have the highest rate of injuries at 376 per million people
Common Times and Places of Fatal Bicycle Accidents in 2013
- 68% occurred in an urban area, while 32% happened in a rural one
- The majority of deaths (57%) occurred outside of an intersection
- The highest rate of fatalities (22%) occurred between just after sunset between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
- May to October had the highest chance of fatalities, with rates up to 41% higher than the average
- 61% of fatalities occurred in heavy traffic areas considered “major roads”
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States with the highest bicyclist fatalities:
- California — 141
- Florida — 133
- Texas — 48
- Florida has the highest rate with 6.8 fatalities per million residents
Helmet Use in Fatal Bicycle Accidents
- Between 2010 and 2013, 1,812 bicyclists who died in accidents were not wearing helmets
- 65% of cyclists killed in traffic accidents from 2010 to 2013 were not wearing helmets
- This number could be higher considering that in 20% of cases the helmet use status was unknown
- In 2013, 464 (63%) bicyclists died while not wearing a helmet compared to 127 (17%)
- Research estimates that helmets reduce the risk of head injury by 50% and the chances of face, neck or head injuries by 33%
Davis Levin Livingston has years of experience representing bicycle victims of traffic accidents. We help victims seek the fair compensation they deserve with our bicycle injury attorneys.