Why Cyclist Groups Lashed Out on the 2014 U.S. Governor's Bike Safety Report | Governing.com

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), a non-profit group representing state transportation safety departments, regularly issues reports highlighting safety concerns on the nation’s roads. The group uses that information to push for stricter laws on topics such as distracted driving, seat belt use and motorcycle helmet laws.

But rarely do those reports come under fire the way that the group’s report last week on bicyclist safety did. The report, written by the former head scientist for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Allan Williams, highlighted a 16 percent upswing in cyclist fatalities between 2010 and 2012. It also detailed data on how many of the killed cyclists had been wearing helmets or were under the influence of alcohol when they died.

Cyclist groups pounced on the report. They criticized the group’s methodology and the report’s focus on cyclist behavior, rather than inadequate infrastructure, in contributing to bicyclist deaths. They also panned media coverage of the report, including Governing’s story and a Los Angeles Times piece that included a photo of a test dummy and bike flying through the air after being hit by a car.

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