Modesto motorists are often in a hurry when they take shortcuts through local neighborhoods or pull out onto busy streets like McHenry Avenue. They may not notice the people who are also trying to reach their destinations who aren’t in cars.
Those who cycle through Modesto for exercise, to go to work or school, or to go to the store, know how dangerous it is to ride alongside careless and distracted drivers. Reckless drivers are a real threat to the safety of anyone who rides along the street or even in a bike lane. Even if you don’t see the frightening bicycle collisions, the accident statistics over the past few years will truly convince you of the risks.
Maison Law of Modesto decided to help local drivers visualize the threats to riders by graphically representing a few of the most shocking bicycle accident statistics. It’s hoped that charting the real dangers involved will help motorists realize they need to slow down and show more care towards all cyclists.
Nationwide and California Bicycle Accident Tragedies
The CDC finds that around 1,000 bicyclists tragically lose their lives on U.S. roadways each year with about 130,000 riders suffering injury. According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates, bicycle fatalities rose an alarming 8% in 2022. We await final data on 2023 accidents to see if the frightening trend continues.
California saw similar increases. The Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) summary page documents 8,888 fatalities and injuries stemming from bicycle collisions in 2022. Fatality rates were higher than they’d been in half a decade with the state reporting 196 tragic deaths for the year.
Modesto’s Upward Trend in Bicycle Accidents
California’s Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS) points to a surge in Modesto bicycle collision numbers in 2021 and 2022, back to pre-pandemic levels.
In 2022, Modesto emergency crews responded to 79 bicycle accidents that resulted in serious injuries. The year claimed at least three lives. That’s the most of any year of the past five years.
A further look at the data reveals that around 61% of those accidents were broadside, also known as T-bone, crashes. Those are most common in Modesto intersections when careless motorists strike bicyclists as they attempt to make a turn. Drivers may see a gap in the oncoming vehicles, but in their rush, they fail to notice the smaller outline of a vulnerable cyclist also traveling in the opposite lanes. Drivers hit the gas and too late realize a cyclist is right in front of them.
Modesto Bicycle Accidents Target the Younger and Older Victims
There were interesting and alarming highlights in the TIMS records for Modesto in 2022.
- TIMS figures show that 80% of Modesto bicycle crash victims in 2022 were men.
- The most dangerous times for accidents in Modesto were on Friday evenings from 6pm to 9pm. Tuesday evenings were also extra dangerous for some reason.
A study of the bicycle collision victims’ ages across Modesto can reveal what age groups are most at risk. The chart below shows how there was an especially high number of bicycle incidents involving victims ages 15 to 19. Riders aged 50-59 also appeared to be more likely to be involved in a collision.
Modesto Compared to Los Angeles and Sacramento
When compared to the biggest cities in California, Modesto doesn’t appear to be a dangerous place for cyclists. But for its size, Modesto sees too many bicycle accidents each year.
Los Angeles is of course the leader in bike crashes, and injuries and deaths, for the state. San Francisco also sees a tragic number of collisions.
By comparison, TIMS researchers say Modesto recorded 75 bicycle accidents that involved any sort of injury or death.
Modesto ranked 16th on the list of California cities for bicycle injuries and deaths. When surveying nearby cities, Fresno was 13th on the list and Sacramento fell in at 5th.
Hope for a Safer 2024 and Beyond for Modesto Cyclists
Perhaps a look at these discouraging statistics will remind local drivers to take longer looks as they prepare to make turns and to study their mirrors to be aware of the cyclists all around them.
More bike paths and bike trails around Modesto will certainly help. Additional enforcement of the laws in place that give cyclists the same right to the lanes as any motorist will also help riders get home safely.
If you or a loved one have been the victim of a careless or reckless driver, please make sure you are aware of the benefits available to you and your family. Contact a Modesto Bicycle Accident Lawyer to set up a free case consultation after suffering a serious injury in an accident. It’s a no-risk way to determine what your injury is worth and what you should be demanding from a car insurance company.
