US Traffic crash fatalities among cyclists up 13% in 2015

The NHTSA released early estimates of motor vehicle traffic fatalities in 2015 today and the news is not good. This looks only at fatalities involving a car, so it doesn't count single bike crashes or crashes with pedestrians, trains or other cyclists. Other fatalities are not included as well. Still,

Analysis to generate gross estimates of changes reveals significant increases in motorcyclist and nonoccupant (pedestrian and pedalcyclist) deaths for the Nation in 2015 as compared to 2014.

Estimates based on the data coded thus far into FARS for 2015 reveals that most of the Nation saw significant increases in motorcyclist (9% increase), pedestrian (10% increase) and pedalcyclist fatalities (13% increase). Fatalities to drivers and passengers also increased (6% and 7%, respectively)

They don't give a number, but since there were 726 pedalcyclist fatalities in 2014, 13% more would be 820, making last year the most deadly for cyclists since 1995. While fatalities have been increasing somewhat steadily for the last few years,  so has the number of people biking and at a faster rate. Meaning that fatalities as a percentage of bike commuters has been dropping since 2005. But unless there is an unprecedented rise in bike commuters this year, it looks like the trend is going up this year.

Comments

[SJE]

There was an increase in all sorts of fatalities, consistent with a general increase in the number of car trips (which have been increasing).

[SJE]

Interesting also that fatalities per VMT is about the same, but fatalities per bike trips is down.

The more car miles you drive, the more deaths. The more bike commuters there are, the less death. Now, if we can just get all the drivers to ride, we should be a lot better off.

[Kolo Jezdec]

Saw some data recently (can't remember where) that single vehicle crashes have risen by more than 1/3 in the past decade. Could this be due to the significant percentage of motorists who pay more than attention to their phones than to their driving? Might this also be a factor in the number motorcyclist, pedacyclist, and pedestrian deaths? Hmmm...

[SJE]

Kolo: YES

[Crickey7]

Hopefully some of the newer technologies in cars will start reversing this trend.

[Fred]

Rise in single vehicle crashes could be related in rise in suicides.

[Barry Vance]

I heard bicycle-car rear end collisions have been on the rise as well over the last 15 years. I believe the argument was distracted driving (cell phones) were to blame.