Written By: Chris Dolan and Jeremy Jessup
This week’s question comes from David, from San Francisco, CA, who asks:
I started commuting around the city on my bicycle this past spring. I have noticed more bicyclists on the road lately. Are there more bikes on the road, or am I seeing things? Are there any additional concerns for bicyclists as more hit the streets?
Dear David,
No, you are not seeing things. There are more bicyclists on the roads.
May is National Bicycle Safety Month. However, according to the NTSA, August is the deadliest month for bicyclists. Bicycle fatalities have been increasing since 2010, with 2022 being the worst on record. According to NTSA, over 1,100 bicyclists were killed in 2022, and over 46,000 were injured. The largest group comprises of 10–14-year-olds.
Aside from there being more cyclists on the road, these numbers continue to grow because drivers and bicyclists alike are not being mindful of one another. For drivers, failing to yield the right of way, making unsafe lane changes, and distracted driving are common causes of fatal crashes. For bicyclists, they may not be visible to drivers due to riding in the dark without lights, wearing dark clothing, or having bikes without reflectors. Other risky behaviors include:
- Riding at high speeds,
- Riding under the influence,
- Riding without a helmet and failing to adhere to basic traffic laws.
Other factors include road conditions, such as poor maintenance, loose gravel, and dangerous intersections. And finally, it’s the time of the year. Summer months see an increase in ridership, children are on summer recess, and better weather. And it is during those months that the fatality rate is the highest.
To help bring these numbers down, drivers (and bicyclists) need to realize that traffic safety is a shared responsibility. Be on the lookout for bicyclists, especially when changing lanes. Slow down if you see a bicyclist up ahead and want to turn. The few extra seconds it takes you to reach your destination could decide whether the bicyclist makes it to theirs.
As for bicyclists, just like seat belts help save lives, so do helmets. A meta-analysis of bicycle helmet efficacy by Attewell, Glase, and McFadden (2001) estimated that bicycle helmets reduce the risk of head injury by 60% and brain injury by 58%. As of January 2024, 22 states, the District of Columbia, and more than 200 localities had bicycle helmet-use laws, according to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute.
The “Safety in Numbers: Pedestrian and Bicyclist Activity and Safety in Minneapolis, 2018” report indicates drivers tend to behave more safely around them when more people ride bikes together. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of obeying traffic laws. Since bicyclists are already difficult to see because of the lack of lighting, reflectors, and their compact stature, there would be fewer collisions if everyone obeyed the traffic laws. We need to watch out for one another and help each other make it home at the end of the day.
Christopher B. Dolan owns the Dolan Law Firm. Jeremy Jessup is a managing trial attorney in our San Francisco office. We serve San Francisco Bay Area and California clients from our San Francisco, Oakland, and Los Angeles offices.
Email questions and topics for future articles to help@dolanlawfirm.com. Each situation is different, and this column does not constitute legal advice. We recommend consulting with an experienced trial attorney to understand your rights fully.
