Bike and Car accident statistics

Arwen's Mom

Arwen's Mom

Mother of Dragons, Breaker of Chains
😡🙁😡
As I was leaving work this morning a truck driver told me some disturbing news. He just passed an accident on rt 18 where a driver of an SUV hit a cyclist. I pray the cyclist survived, but from the description of the scene by the truck driver, I doubt it.

While I was crying over this and talking to a fellow cyclist about it, another fellow over heard us and his remarks were...I cant even come up with a word for it. But he was cold about the whole thing. His attitude was that the cyclist is always the cause of the accidents. Quite frankly, I dont care who was in the right or wrong, someone just died. Show some compassion.

Even if the cyclist is in the wrong, why not yield and save a life? His excuse was...get this...some older people dont see as well and have good reaction times. Ummmmm... I dont even want to go there. But from what the truck driver said it was a "younger" driver.

Many drivers seem to mirror this attitude, that its the cyclists fault. Soooo, I have come with an idea, and need some help. Where can I find statistics for accidents involving cars and bikes, and find out who was at fault most often. Possible?

And I send out many prayers for that fellow cyclist that he/she is ok and the family finds comfort. I pray for all you out there, that you ride safe and the drivers SEE you, and yield.
 
Pearl, you are an angel, thanks. Great start.

Also want to add, I tried a search, but none had the % of "who was at fault" that I was looking for.

Any other info anyone finds, please share, thanks 🙂
 
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This is sad to hear and I do hope the cyclist was wearing a helmet and that he/she will recover from his/her injuries.

No matter whose fault it might be I always ride defensively on the road and always assume that motorists might not see me. I'm not saying any cyclist deserves to get hit but I've seen some who just have a total disregard for motorists and ride as if they’re entitled to take up as much of the road as they want and ride 2 or 3 abreast because they're on bikes and cars must yield to them.

I will be praying for that cyclist.
 
Thats why MTB is so much safer if you ask me...trees don't/rarely move and the operater (you) makes or breaks the ride/deal. A few weeks ago a cyclist was hit less than a 1/2 mile from my house on a bad bend in the road. When I rode past..he was laying on his back with EMT's helping while police controlled traffic. Come to find out later he was only by the car mirror and probably broke something that will heal...alls I can say is LUCKY...so lucky that 6 more inches he'd probably been road kill. I've only spent about 100 hour or less road riding and have had 3 close calls over the years. I tend to only do bike paths or secluded areas here in S.J. when I can. And I agree..Cyclist are almost always blamed for the accident...which is ridicules in my opinon.
 
Yes, people always amaze me.
It is tough to find accurate numbers. In NJ your classified as a pedicycle and its your auto insurance that covers the cost of hospitilization. Etc. That's only IF you press charges. If the police do not witness the accident (even if there are other eye witnesses) they usually will not assign blame. An elderly man hit me with his old caddy number of years back, and at the court hearing after I pressed charges, the local officer said,"your not going to press charges against that nice old man are you?". The guy was so disabled, he couldnt get out of his seat without assistance, yet he was driving. The guy never looked, pulled out sent me over his hood and kept on driving. Didn't even know he hit me. Separated shoulder, two sprained ankles, damaged nerves in elbow, multiple bruises, knee surgery, etc... Totalled my new bike.

Check league of American cyclists for some numbers.
 
Press Release**Unidentified Asian male struck while crossing Rt 18 south earlier this morning**
This morning at approximately 8:54am East Brunswick Police Units responded to Rt 18 southbound and Icker Avenue for a serious motor vehicle accident. The victim, an unidentified Asian male approximately 60 years old, was crossing Rt 18 south in the area of Icker Avenue heading towards Old Bridge Turnpike. He was carrying his Schwinn bicycle as he was crossing the street. A 2009 Toyota Camry driven by Maksim Brusnikin, 22 year old male from Morganville was travelling Rt 18 southbound in the left lane. Upon seeing the pedestrian in the middle of the roadway, Mr Brusknikin attempted to break but was unable to do so in time.

TransMed Ambulance Service and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Paramedics arrived on scene and transported the victim to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. He sustained serious injuries as a result of the accident.

Anyone who may be familiar with an older Asian male who would cross over Rt 18 in the morning travelling with a Schwinn bicycle or may have witnessed the accident is asked to contact Ptl. David Velez or Ptl. Sean Garrison of the East Brunswick Police Department’s Special Operations Division at 732-390-6969.
 
BonsaiMTB said:
Thats why MTB is so much safer if you ask me...trees don't/rarely move and the operater (you) makes or breaks the ride/deal.
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amen. if I am gonna get hurt on the bike its gonna be because I miscalculate an obstacle or slide out on a root or something, not because some a-hole in a car was texting on his cell phone

in other words...it will be my own damn fault.

anyway, road riding just isnt good for my mental health: (1) i hate every second of it; and (2) as a result, I am just an angry-cyclist when on the road - muttering under my breath (or worse) towards every driver that doesnt slow down or move over as much as I would like, etc.. it's not healthy 😉
 
bruce.b said:
Of course it's always the cyclist's fault. They're in the road and in the way.
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Unfortunately, it actually is the cyclists fault in this case. He was walking across the street without having a green light. He was in the road and in the way.

-Jim.
 
wonderturtle said:
amen. if I am gonna get hurt on the bike its gonna be because I miscalculate an obstacle or slide out on a root or something, not because some a-hole in a car was texting on his cell phone

in other words...it will be my own damn fault.

anyway, road riding just isnt good for my mental health: (1) i hate every second of it; and (2) as a result, I am just an angry-cyclist when on the road - muttering under my breath (or worse) towards every driver that doesnt slow down or move over as much as I would like, etc.. it's not healthy 😉
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Ditto. I start out optimistically enough, but inevitably there's at least one conflict by the time I reach the "open" roads of Colts Neck. But then I channel the rage into my riding.
 
Didn't we post some links a couple months ago? The overwhelming contributing factor was alcohol. Either bike or car. It was amazing.

The other big contributor was speed limit and road type. Think 45 was the number on roads like route 27 and 18 and 130. Bikes not expected and closing speeds are high.

Breakdowns by age helmet road type. They also had hot spots by state. Using the phone now so too hard to search.

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If he was walking his bike then it is probably a pedestrian accident and won't get reported as bike. Unfortunate in either case.
 
I prefer Mt. bike too but I am lucky to be able to hop on my road bike & hit the back roads close to home w few cars. Riding near traffic is too stressful.
 
pedals said:
I prefer Mt. bike too but I am lucky to be able to hop on my road bike & hit the back roads close to home w few cars. Riding near traffic is too stressful.
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I agree on the too stressful quote...I've never ridden in a group on the road, I suppose it maybe safer since its more visable. Where I live..if you ride anywhere between Atlantic City and Great Egg Harbor River your taking your life in your own hands...unless its a bike path or boardwalk. Traffic has tripled since the casino's popped up..its like Cherry Hill traffic down here now. Unfortunaitly the spot is between the Great Egg Harbor River and Millville. Most all road riders make the journey to the Estell Manor, Tuckahoe section of S.J. for the serene and much safer back roads. But who am I kidding...I'm sure North Jersey quite roads are like the busy roads down here..I guess its all relative? 😕
 
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