Are More Cyclists on the Road the Key to Preventing Accidents?

Take a quick scan of an online newspaper or watch the local news on TV and you'll likely stumble on another account of a cycling accident.

In 2011, there were 48,000 cyclists injured from motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. It's a gloomy statistic that can discourage even the most committed cyclists. But what cyclists
should realize is that these tragedies are the biggest reason why more cyclists should begin riding their bikes to work.

Consider that the demographic of cyclists most likely to be involved in a collision with an automobile are men, aged 35 to 45 who are on racing bikes. At first glance, this might not make a lot of sense. After all, these are the most experienced riders on the road. They spend the most time in the saddle and train for demanding situations. They also make up the smallest population of cyclists (next to women who race).

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Ask anyone in the industry, and they'll tell you that commuter bikes dwarf high-end performance sales.

So why are men on racing bikes more likely to be hit by a car?

For starters, they spend more time riding than typical commuters. These cyclists also spend more of their time riding on rural or suburban roads, where motorists don't see or expect cyclists. They often fail to use rear safety lights or reflective gear when riding.

But what's most concerning is a statistic cyclists might have trouble admitting—they're bad at following traffic laws.

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Competitive male cyclists tend to take more risks in terms of speed and handling than others. Combine that with riding in 45 mph zones and in places where motorists don't anticipate cyclists, and the risk of an accident increases.

None of this is meant to excuse motorists or indict cyclists. Rather, it's evidence to demonstrate that the problem is neither bikes or cars, but the one factor they have in common: the people operating them. If you look at history and psychological studies, you can begin to see that this is a problem that needs to be addressed.

To prove this isn't crazy talk, take this quick awareness test. Now consider that cycling accident rates are significantly lower in Italy than the United States. This, in a country so notorious for its drunk-driving that the European Union once threatened to stop recognizing its driver licenses.

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Having spent two years driving in Italy, I can attest how nerve-wracking the autostrada can be. And yet, I never felt safer on a bicycle than in the Veneto.

Why? The overwhelming number of cyclists in Italy. Weekend ride groups can be found all over, and boast hundreds of members in each pack. Even still, commuters comprise the largest group cycling traffic. They're a constant presence on every road in every town.

This has a two-fold impact on traffic. First, motorists are accustomed to seeing cyclists. More importantly, just about every motorist is a cyclist. The culture fosters both awareness and empathy.

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The importance of these factors can't be emphasized enough. Most cycling buffs are aware that the first vehicular accident in New York City was a collision with a cyclist. A bit more on the fringe of transit trivia is that the first train accident occurred within hours of the first railway's official opening.

The circumstances were different, but the similarity of their root causes offers a profound lesson two centuries later. Both accidents involved a lack of familiarity with the vehicles, causing the victims to miscalculate speed and distance. People execute these sorts of calculations today all the time, whether pedaling a bike or driving a car. It becomes so natural that most don't even realizing they're doing it.

Once American society grows accustomed to how the bicycle interacts with the world around it, it becomes a matter of adapting the same instincts used when walking or running at a new speed.

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For instance, most people can navigate around an orange cone in the street or the 18-wheeler in the slow lane easily. Drivers don't hit parked cars or pedestrians in crosswalks because they're aware that they need to be cautious when approaching these obstacles.

This contrasts with the early days of automobiles, when a car moving at only 4 mph killed the first pedestrian. The reactions and testimony of witnesses at the scene are worth reading. They show just how important the psychology of speed is. There's a learning curve that takes time to adapt to, and that comes only with practice and awareness.

The greatest safety improvement for cyclists, beyond helmets, bike lanes or even better cycling laws, is to make motorists more familiar with people on bikes. And the only way to foster that awareness and empathy is to get more cyclists on the road.

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