U.S. bicyclist deaths on the rise - KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar Bluff

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 number of bicyclist fatalities in the United States is increasing, particularly among adults in major cities, a recent study shows.

After decreasing from 1975 to 2010, the number of bicyclists killed annually increased by 16 percent from 2010 to 2012. More than 700 bicyclists died on U.S. roads in 2012, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.

The study also reported that the percentage of these deaths that occur in densely populated urban areas has risen from 50 percent in 1975 to 69 percent in 2012.

MoBikeFed Comment: The bump in bicycle fatalities was widely reported earlier this month. Most media outlets failed to report that the reason for the earlier decline in bicyclist fatalities was a decline in the amount of bicycling, and the reason for the increase in fatalities in a recent, pretty dramatic, increase in the amount of cycling.

Cyclist fatalities are more concentrated in cities because that is where the highest rates of increase in bicycling have been happening.

What's more (and important to know) the rate of bicycle fatalities has been growing quite a bit slower than the rate of bicycling. That means that bicycling has actually been getting **safer** during this period, not more dangerous.

Still, the increase in the amount of bicycling (and slower rate of increase of associated injuries and fatalities) is an important story, even if only because it may encourage our communities and states to finally take more decisive action to make bicycling safer for everyone.

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U.S. bicyclist deaths on the rise - KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar Bluff

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