The number of fatal bike crashes in Chicago continues to rise. Many of the worst incidents involved bike riders being hit head-on by motor vehicles. These accidents took place even on roads that had conventionally designed bicyclist lanes. The sheer amount of carnage has safety experts highly concerned.
Cycling accident fatalities are on an upswing
Many of the worst motor vehicle accidents recorded on Chicago roads involved collisions with bicycle riders. Of these accidents, statistics show that 88 percent of the victims were male. Men are seven times more likely to be the victim of a fatal cycling accident than women. Accident fatalities as a whole rose by a sobering six percent.
Many highway safety experts say that the rising number of fatal crashes is not due merely to routine safety violations. They point to the fact that many roads in the city are poorly designed when it comes to meeting the needs of cyclists. Due to this oversight, many road crossings in the area have been the site of collisions with vehicles.
Cyclists are urged to take safety precautions
Bike accident statistics throughout Chicago paint a grim picture. As of 2019, collisions with cars were a factor in 712 of the 1,089 fatal bicycle accidents recorded in the city. These deaths often occur due to riding bikes too near cars, trucks, and SUVs. This was especially the case on roads that do not feature bike lanes.
The time of year these accidents occurred most often was summer. Regardless, bike riders are urged to take seriously all of the available safety measures. These include using the bicycle lane on roads and avoiding roads that do not feature them. Bright clothing is also recommended as a highly effective safety measure.