The number of bicyclists injured in crashes involving motor vehicles rose sharply in 2022 compared to the previous year. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were over 850 bicyclists killed and more than 50,000 injured in collisions with cars and trucks last year. This represents a 12% increase in fatalities and an 8% rise in injuries compared to 2021.

Several factors may have contributed to this alarming upward trend:

  • Increased bicycle usage – With more people riding bikes for transportation, exercise, and recreation, exposure to traffic crashes has gone up.
  • Distracted driving – Cell phone use and other distractions have made drivers less attentive, raising the risk for cyclists.
  • Impaired driving – Drunk, drugged and drowsy driving puts all road users in danger. About 16% of bike fatalities involve an impaired motorist.
  • Unsafe infrastructure – Many city streets lack adequate bike lanes or shoulders, forcing bicyclists and vehicles to share tight spaces.
  • Insufficient lighting – Low visibility at night, along with a lack of lights and reflective gear, reduces bicyclist conspicuity.
  • Dangerous driving behaviors – Speeding, aggressive driving, failure to yield, and dooring (opening a vehicle door into a cyclist’s path) threaten cyclists’ safety.

While cyclist fatalities held steady, the substantial increase in injuries indicates a general rise in hazardous motorist-bicyclist interactions on U.S. roads.

More must be done to protect those choosing healthy, sustainable, and congestion-reducing transportation. Infrastructure improvements, targeted enforcement, education, and traffic calming measures are needed to ensure cyclist safety and enable further growth of cycling nationwide. The troubling statistics for 2022 should spur action before numbers rise even higher next year.

Key Statistics

The new NHTSA data reveals a grim toll for bicyclists involved in motor vehicle crashes last year.

  • Fatalities: Approximately 850 cyclists were killed in collisions with cars and trucks in 2022. This represents a 12% increase compared to the previous year.
  • Injuries: Over 50,000 bicyclists were injured in motor vehicle crashes last year. This figure reflects an 8% rise in cyclist injuries compared to 2021.
  • Trends: While cyclist fatalities held steady from 2020 to 2021, the substantial spike in injuries in 2022 indicates an overall increase in hazardous conditions and incidents on our roadways.

These alarming statistics make it clear that existing bike infrastructure, education, enforcement, and safety measures are inadequate to protect the growing number of people riding bikes. The significant rise in preventable casualties underscores the need for immediate action to reverse this dangerous trend.

Here is a draft of the Contributing Factors section using HTML markup:

Contributing Factors

There are likely several factors that contributed to the sharp increase in bicyclists injured and killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2022:

  • Increased bicycle usage – With more bicyclists on the roads, exposure to potential traffic crashes has risen.
  • Distracted driving – Cell phone use and other distractions have made drivers less attentive, raising the risk for cyclists.
  • Impaired driving – Drunk, drugged and drowsy driving puts all road users in danger. About 16% of bike fatalities involve an impaired motorist.
  • Unsafe infrastructure – Many city streets lack adequate bike lanes or shoulders, forcing bicyclists and vehicles to share tight spaces.
  • Insufficient lighting – Low visibility at night, along with a lack of lights and reflective gear, reduces the bicyclist’s visibility.
  • Dangerous driving behaviors – Speeding, aggressive driving, failure to yield, and dooring (opening a vehicle door into a cyclist’s path) threaten cyclists’ safety.

These factors likely combined to create hazardous road conditions for cyclists across the country in 2022.

Implications

While the number of bicyclists killed in motor vehicle crashes held steady from 2020 to 2022, the substantial spike in cyclist injuries indicates a general rise in hazardous motorist-bicyclist interactions on U.S. roads.

The significant increase in preventable crashes and casualties in 2022 makes it clear that existing infrastructure, education, enforcement, and safety measures are failing to protect bicyclists. Urgent action is required to enable safe cycling nationwide as bike usage continues to grow.

If current dangerous trends hold steady, we can expect even more cyclists to be injured or killed in motor vehicle collisions in the coming years. The troubling statistics for 2022 should serve as a call to action before the numbers rise even higher.

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Potential Solutions

There are several measures that could be taken to reverse the troubling trends and improve bicyclist safety on our roadways:

  • Infrastructure Upgrades – Building out protected bike lanes, trails, and networks to separate cyclists from vehicles could significantly reduce crashes and injuries.
  • Targeted Enforcement – Cracking down on dangerous driving behaviors such as speeding, distraction, and impairment could help protect vulnerable road users.
  • Education – Teaching cyclists and motorists how to safely share the road could prevent hazardous interactions and crashes.
  • Traffic Calming – Lower speed limits, speed humps, median barriers, and other traffic calming measures could reduce vehicle speeds and risky behaviors.

A combination of engineering, enforcement, and education countermeasures is likely needed to improve bicyclist safety and enable cycling nationwide.

Conclusion

The troubling statistics on bicyclists injured and killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2022 make it clear that cycling on U.S. roads has become more dangerous.

While bike fatalities held steady, the significant increase in preventable injuries indicates a rise in hazardous conditions for riders across the country. Urgent action is required to protect those choosing healthy, sustainable transportation.

Infrastructure improvements, targeted enforcement, education campaigns, and traffic calming measures should be implemented without delay. The alarming injury numbers in 2022 must serve as a call to action before statistics climb even higher next year.

With more strategic investment and commitment to safety, we can work to achieve the vision of streets that are safe and accessible for all users, whether traveling by bike, foot, transit, or automobile. But we must act now to prevent further cyclist casualties on our roadways.