Many Illinois residents take advantage of the days with sunshine each year to enjoy bike rides. They can be out for exercise or heading off to work or class. They may be at the park or riding with their families in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, many trips involve crossing intersections in front of careless drivers or even riding alongside them.
Motorists are required to take every precaution to keep riders safe, but they often neglect this duty. Michael J. Brennan Injury & Accident Lawyer feels it’s always a good time to remind Illinois drivers of the danger they can cause when they don’t watch out for riders. We put the latest bicycle accident statistics for our state in easy-to-read charts that show the devastation bicycle accidents cause each year.
Latest Illinois Bicycle Accident Figures In 2024
Bicyclists continue to be put at far too much risk on Illinois streets and highways in 2024. It’s easy to see how the accident rates are returning to pre-pandemic levels, putting more children and adults in harm’s way.
In 2021, The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) recorded at least 2,352 bicycle collisions across the state. Those accidents resulted in at least 300 victims suffering serious “A-injuries.” IDOT considers an A-injury as an incapacitating incident. Victims are unable to walk away from the accident normally and aren’t able to participate in activities they were capable of performing before the accident.
This is a look at the bicycle accident totals across the entire state from 2017 to 2021.
We await official numbers from 2022 and 2023 to determine if the accident rate continues its upward trend. It’s an apparent unwanted rebound from 2020’s reduced numbers when traffic was restricted for much of the year.
How Many Cyclists Are Killed In Illinois Each Year?
Unfortunately, not every victim survives these frightening collisions. Cyclists are the most vulnerable of any traveler who uses local lanes. The 2021 annual report from IDOT showed that bicycle crashes accounted for less than one percent of Illinois roadway crashes. Yet, bicyclist fatalities still made up three percent of all fatal crashes for the year.
There are more recent numbers for the tragic bicycle impacts that claim lives each year in Illinois. IDOT’s snapshot estimate on the lives claimed in 2023 shows a significant spike in heartbreaking deaths.
Illinois and The States with the Most Bicycle Accidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that there were 966 lives lost in U.S. bicycle collisions in 2021. They accounted for around 2.2% of all fatalities in the nation for the year.
- Around 85% of bicycle accidents occurred in cities.
- Almost 30% of the collisions happened at intersections.
- 56% of the bicycle crashes happened at night, or dusk or dawn.
Many Southern States lead the nation in bicycle fatalities because there’s simply less winter weather to keep riders off the roads. Still, Illinois tied with Louisiana for the fifth most bicycle crash deaths in 2021.
Chicago Bicycle Accident Statistics
Of course, the traffic dangers in a giant city like Chicago contribute greatly to the traffic numbers for the entire state.
People Powered Movement (PPM) says that July is the worst month for Chicago bicycle accidents. PPM researchers cite heavy traffic as one of the contributing factors to bicycle accident figures. They also call out Chicago’s implementation of bike lanes that put different types of bike lane designs and varying levels of protection along each block.
The IDOT’s Data for individual cities shows the rising bicycle accident rates in Chicago. The city recorded over 1,200 bicycle accidents in 2022, leading to the deaths of at least six riders. On top of that, 153 people suffered serious category A injuries.
Safer Rides for Illinois Bicyclists in 2024 and Beyond
Bicycle safety improvements aren’t just needed in Chicago. The bicycle accident rate must fall in other Illinois cities and in rural areas of our state. The easiest way to see the quickest improvement is to get drivers to pay more attention to the road. If they slowed down upon seeing any cyclist, so many tragic accidents could be prevented.
Illinois personal injury attorney Michael J. Brennan serves Chicago and Illinois Bicycle Accident victims. He is an advocate for safe rides. He also gets aggressive with insurance companies to make sure injured cyclists get every benefit they need to pay for their recovery and get back on their bikes again. Contact MJB Law for a free legal consultation if you or a loved one have been hurt.
