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Washington State Bicyclists: The View From A Hospital Bed Is Not Pretty.

The latest countrywide statistics on bicycle traffic accidents report 716 bicyclists killed and 52,000 injured in 2008. The number of fatalities may have dropped in the last ten years (760 in 1998) but the number of people injured in bicycle crashes is still staggering.

In Washington State and Snohomish County, motorists and bicyclists are sharing the road better than in other parts of the country. Whereas the bicycle crash fatality rate nationwide is 2.35 per million people, the rate in Washington is 1.37 per million. This compares favorably with a state like Florida, where bicyclists must be considered endangered, with a fatality rate of 6.82 per million and 192 fatalities in 2008 alone.

Age groups

The average age of cyclists killed in traffic crashes has increased substantially in the last ten years, from 32 in 1998 to 41 in 2008. Older cyclists do not recover as well from serious injuries as younger ones do. This is why the average age of injured cyclists is higher: 24 in 1998 and 31 in 2008. Older bicyclists now take up a larger proportion of the cycling population than ten years ago.

The opposite is true for the younger population aged 5 to 15. Whereas this group is more likely to get hurt - the injury rate is 293 per million people compared with 172 per million for all ages - the fatality rate for younger bicyclists (2.01) is lower than for all ages (2.35).

Is alcohol a factor?

The answer is yes, definitely. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or more - either for the vehicle driver or for the cyclist - was reported in 31 percent of the fatal traffic crashes. Nearly one fourth of the bicyclists killed had a BAC of 0.08 or more.

Injuries

What is particularly alarming for a Washington state bicyclist is the high number of people injured in traffic accidents. Hundreds of cyclists end up in Washington hospitals every year with serious injuries, such as:

• - broken bones
• - concussions
• - traumatic head injuries
• - abdominal and chest injuries.

The bicycle crash prevention measures are well known: wear a helmet, increase your visibility, be extremely careful at intersections, beware of open doors when riding beside parked cars, etc.

We would like to add our own advice: choose your route with care and intelligence. Avoid the dense traffic roadways and the narrow roads lacking a wide shoulder. Choose the least frequented roads, and you will be safer than most. Enjoy your ride.

At Monro Law Firm, we are dedicated to the safety of our clients. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a bicycle accident, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your injuries. Call us today at 866-WRONGED (976-6433) or locally at (425) 335-3237.