Creating Safe Environments For Bicyclists

Creating Safe Environments For Bicyclists.
The mob of bicyclist fatalities in the United States is increasing, markedly among adults in major cities, a recent ponder shows. After decreasing from 1975 to 2010, the number of bicyclists killed annually increased by 16 percent from 2010 to 2012. More than 700 bicyclists died on US roads in 2012, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. The observe also reported that the piece of these deaths that come about in densely populated urban areas has risen from 50 percent in 1975 to 69 percent in 2012.

So "We've seen a inchmeal trend over time where more adults are bicycling in cities, so we desideratum cities to develop ways for cyclists and motorists to share the road," said report founder Allan Williams, former chief scientist at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. But, the crack also pointed out that many of the deaths were potentially preventable. Two-thirds of the deaths occurred in people who weren't wearing a helmet, the researchers found. And, in 2012, almost 30 percent of the deaths were in population who had a blood hooch content level above the legal driving limit of 0,08 percent, according to the study.

One of the biggest shifts in cycling deaths was the general age of the victims. Eighty-four percent of bicycle deaths were in adults in 2012. That compares to just 21 percent in 1975, according to the study. Overall, mature males accounted for 74 percent of the bicyclists killed in 2012, the researchers reported. The unfamiliar scrutiny also found that states with high populations and multiple cities accounted for the bulk of bicycle fatalities.

Between 2010 and 2012, California, Florida, New York and Texas had nearly half of the country's complete bicyclist fatalities. Part of the explanation for the increasing number of bicycle deaths is that more relations are bicycling to and from work, the report suggested. Nearly 300000 more people biked to piece in 2008 to 2012 than in 2000, according to US Census data. "There has been a national movement to get proletariat out walking and biking because it has major benefits for their health, and for the environment," said Jacob Nelson, head of traffic safety advocacy and research with the Automobile Association of America.

And "While it is important to spur on more people to walk and bike, we need to think about how we manage a growing number of vulnerable access users. Policy makers who are vocal advocates for walking and biking need to also be vocal advocates for creating reliable environments for bicyclists - and I'm not sure that always happens". Some cities have developed more bike lanes and changed movement patterns to accommodate the increasing number of bicyclists on their roads, according to the report.

These methods may fashion a barrier between motor vehicles and cyclists, making the roads a safer function for cyclists. Another important step in reducing bicycle fatalities is the dependable use of a helmet. Wearing a properly fitted helmet significantly reduces the chances of having a serious cardinal injury, according to Williams. But, nearly half of American adults never wear a helmet while riding a bicycle, according to history information from the report.

So "It's unfortunate that there is no adult law requiring helmets," said Williams, who notorious in the report that 21 states have helmet laws for minors. "The best we can do is to nab an educational approach by telling people that helmets can protect people from traumatic head injuries, and that many baneful accidents involve injuries to the head". About one-fourth of crashes happen in darkness, so wearing pensive clothing or attaching a light to the bicycle can help motorists notice cyclists, Williams advised. And, as with driving a motor vehicle, don't the bottle alcohol before cycling, the researchers cautioned. "Bicyclists must think back on that they have to follow the same rules as motor vehicles" delivery. The report was published recently by the Governors Highway Safety Association.