Last Updated: 7/6/2023

Riding bicycle down middle of road before an accident Perhaps the most vulnerable type of commuters on the road - bicyclists - are susceptible to severe injuries when involved in an accident with a car. Child cyclists are at an even greater disadvantage.  However, don’t let this dissuade you from teaching your kids the joys of biking. Simply share these bike safety tips with your children.

For adults, in Iowa and the U.S., the number of preventable bike accidents that occur every year is harrowing; consider these bicycle accident statistics for Iowa and the greater United States:

National Bicycle Accident Statistics - 2019

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 846pedalcyclist fatalities in 2019 in the U.S. "Pedalcyclist" is the term coined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to refer to both pedestrians and cyclists. 25% of fatalities during the holiday period in 2019 involved drunken drivers, whereas in 2018 there were 36% involved drunk drivers.

 

Iowa Bicycle Accident Statistics - 2019

In Iowa, there were 320 traffic fatalities in 2019, although only five of those deaths involved pedalcyclists. The small number of cyclists comprised 2.3 percent of traffic fatalities, putting Iowa below the national average in terms of percentage of fatal pedalcyclist crashes.

Iowa had far fewer pedalcyclist accidents in 2019 than did many other states.

  • In California, there were 129 pedalcyclist fatalities
  • In Florida there were 150 pedalcyclist deaths
  • In Texas, 50 pedalcyclists died as the result of traffic accidents

 

Improving Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety in Iowa

The hope is to bring the number of bicycle and pedestrian fatalities to zero. With more areas in Iowa implementing the Complete Streets program, the state is well on its way to doing just that.

Until that time, though, it’s important to understand your rights. For more free information, consult our bicycle/pedestrian accident library.  To help you sort through the legal waters, file a claim for damages, and prove your injuries and harm, call an attorney. The bicycle and pedestrian lawyers at Walker, Billingsley & Bair, promise to serve you! Contact us online or call us at (888) 435-9886 today. 

Corey Walker
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With over 28 years legal experience, Corey has been recognized for his work as an injury attorney.