Whether you are cruising along a quiet country lane or speeding through congested highways, there are always several dangers for drivers on California roads. One of the deadliest of these can be bicycles. While vehicle drivers are not usually injured in an accident with a bicycle, the lack of protection on a cyclist can be fatal, leaving many to wonder if sharing the roads is the best option for those on two wheels.
PedBikeInfo.org details the danger that faces bicyclists. In 2015, 818 riders were killed in accidents on roadways across the nation. Another 45,000 were reportedly injured, although researchers believe there may be many more that were not reported to police. While only around two percent of all car accident fatalities were bicyclists, the safety of this mode of travel has been questioned.
In almost every case, bicycle riders who were killed were male and the average age was 45. A blood alcohol concentration of over 0.08 percent of either the bicyclist or the vehicle driver was also a factor in almost 20 percent of these fatalities. The majority of these deadly accidents occurred in urban areas and 20 percent happened in the evening hours, between 6:00 and 8:59 p.m. Almost 30 percent of those killed were hit by a car.
One major concern is the widespread occurrence of these deadly accidents. Bicyclist fatalities occurred in almost every state, yet California led the nation in deaths with 128 victims reported. This information is intended for your education and knowledge and should not be considered legal or medical advice.
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