40% of cyclists injured in NYC are hit by taxis

A medical study of injured pedestrians and cyclists in New York City, conducted by a team of trauma surgeons, emergency physicians and researchers from NYU Langone Medical Center found that 

• Victims with an above-normal body mass index were found to have less severe injuries than their counterparts
• Among patients 18 and older, 15 percent of pedestrians and 11 percent of cyclists were found to have consumed alcohol before the collision — a figure that stood out to transportation officials whose focus is often reckless driving. [WC: If we effectively convince people to stop driving drunk, then, of course they'll be more drunk walking and drunk biking incidents. The only way to fix that is to reduce drunkeness in general. Though, biking while drunk is both illegal and ill-advised]
• About 8 percent of both pedestrians and cyclists said they were injured while using an electronic device, including a cellphone or music player. For victims ages 7 to 17, the numbers climbed to more than 10 percent of pedestrians and nearly 30 percent of cyclists.
• Taxicabs pose a disproportionate threat to cyclists, who often compete for the same sliver of curbside roadway. In a finding unlikely to surprise the city’s cyclists, about 40 percent of injured riders were hit by taxis, compared with 25 percent of the pedestrians. 
• More than 80 percent of cyclists rode with traffic flow
• less than a third wore helmets.
• But for cyclists, the study found, injuries spiked from noon to 3 p.m. and outpaced pedestrian injuries from 6 p.m. to midnight — times when food deliveries are most often made.
• One harrowing take-away from the report is that no area, it seems, can be entirely safe. Six percent of pedestrians were injured while on a sidewalk. Of those injured on the street, 44 percent used a crosswalk, with the signal, compared with 23 percent who crossed midblock and 9 percent who crossed against the signal.

pedestrians or cyclists who died at the scene of the accident and never reached the hospital are not included. 

Comments

[T]

Biking while drunk or buzzed is also tough in the middle of DC summers given the oppressive heat and humidity--so I think we have less than NYC to worry about on that one.

But not surprising on taxis. I watched on nearly take a guy down at Thomas Circle this morning. Dark red something association #839.

[Jonathan Krall]

According to Jacobsen and Rutter in their chapter in City Cycling (2012, Ed. by Pucher and Buehler), just over 60 percent of pedestrians in crashes involving alcohol were intoxicated. For drivers, that number is just over 50 percent. For cyclists, 30 percent.

Intoxication numbers for cyclists and pedestrians don't mean a whole lot without the drunk-driver numbers for comparison.

[Jon Renaut]

What percentage of vehicles on the street in NYC are taxis? In my visits up there it often seemed like most vehicles were taxis, so 40% would actually mean cyclists are hit by disproportionately FEW taxis.

[ACyclistInTheSuburbs]

20% of cyclists hit were going against traffic? Again, thats one of the stupidest things to do.

[Mase]

My guess is the percentage in DC is even higher.

[washcycle]

I think there is more wrong-way cycling in NYC because of the large blocks and the numerous one-way streets.

[BlooEyedDevil]

"About 8 percent of both pedestrians and cyclists said they were injured while using an electronic device, including a cellphone or music player. For victims ages 7 to 17, the numbers climbed to more than 10 percent of pedestrians and nearly 30 percent of cyclists."

This is pretty meaningless data if we don't know what percentage of cyclists and peds always wear electronic devices.

[contrarian]

This story is missing all sorts of data necessary to make the statistics meaningful:
* What percentage of vehicles in NYC are taxis?
* What percentage of cyclists and peds use an electronic device.
* What percentage of cyclists and peds are under the influence of alcohol.
* What percentage of cyclists wear helmets.
* What percentage of cyclists ride against traffic.

[turtleshell]

Cyclists hating on taxis reminds me of drivers hating on cyclists.

Many cyclists have a story about a cab or many stories about cabs that broke all kinds of rules.

Very few cyclists dive taxis so its kind of easy to pick on them as an "other" group.

I don't spend much time in NYC, but my 2 cents in DC is taxi drivers are safer than the average driver. They rarely speed and they are generally very predictable, although they do occasionally make sudden moves to pick up fares. They spend a lot of time behind he wheel, are almost always sober and rarely drive like nut jobs.

[Matt]

found to have consumed alcohol before the collision =/= drunk. Or at least not necessarily.

[Crickey7]

I now consider my extra 15 pounds to be a safety measure.

[david]

It would be better for everyone to just have taxi stands rather then have them running around the streets burning gas, making u turns and sudden pulling over if anyone so much as looks at them.

[Jack]

The study found that riding a unicycle in Manhattan is 100% safe, since no unicyclists were treated by the emergency room physicians.

[Michael]

Haha! Jack, that's hilarious! That should be one to add to the figures.