Bicycle Accident Statistics

In the United States, bicycle accidents occur quite frequently and leave bikers with major injuries.  Sometimes, injuries are purely accidental and are caused by things such as poor weather conditions.  Other times, bicycle accidents occur because people choose to act negligently. 

If you think that bike accidents are not serious, we encourage you to take a look at these 2007-2008 statistics provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

§  In 2008, bicycle accident deaths accounted for 2% of traffic related fatalities.

§  In the year 2008, 716 bicyclists were killed during accidents.  In 2007, the number of bicyclist deaths was 698.

§  During the year 2007, 52,000 bikers sustained injuries during accidents.

§  37% of the bicyclist deaths that occurred in 2008 involved the use of alcohol.

§  The majority of bicycle accidents occurred in urban areas or at intersections.

§  In 2008, 23% of bicyclists that were killed were drunk and had blood alcohol levels of 0.08% or higher. 

Additional statistics can be found here:  http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pubs/811156.pdf

As you can see, bicycle accidents can be downright lethal, which is why it is important that bikers and drivers practice safety first.

If you have suffered injuries or damages during a bike accident in Raleigh, contact Whitley Law Firm and arrange to meet with a Raleigh personal injury attorney.