UTAH BICYCLE FACT SHEET
62 Utah bicyclists have been killed by automobiles in the nineties.1
Over half (35, 56.5%) of the bicyclists killed by automobiles in Utah in the nineties were children age 19 and under. 1
Utah ranked 7th highest in the country for bicycle fatality rate between 1986 and 1995. 2
Males account for more than 80% of bicycle/automobile crash deaths in Utah in the nineties. 1
Automobiles in Utah hit 5,423 bicyclists from 1992-1997. 3
Over two-thirds (69.5%, 3406) of the Utah bicyclists hit by automobiles in 1992-1997 were children age 19 and under. 3
Over one-half (57.9%, 2931) of Utah bicycle/automobile crashes from 1992-1997 occurred between 2-7 p.m. 3
Salt Lake County (50.9%, 2757) and Utah County (21.8%, 1183) accounted for almost three-fourths of the bicycle/automobile crashes in Utah from 1992-1997. 3
Weekdays accounted for 82.7% (4183) of the Utah bicycle/automobile crashes from 1992-1997.3
Almost half (43.1%, 2182) of Utah bicycle/automobile crashes from 1992-1997 occurred during the months of June, July, and August.3
Bicycles remain associated with more childhood injuries than any other consumer product except the automobile. 4
Head injury is the leading cause of death in bicycle crashes. The single most effective safety device available to reduce head injury and death from bicycle crashes is a helmet. 4
Bicycle helmets can reduce the risk of head injury by 85% and the risk of brain injury by 90%.5
Only 16% of Utah elementary school age students wear bike helmets. 1
Less than 5% of Utah secondary school age students wear bike helmets. 1
In 1996, 51 bicyclists were admitted as inpatients to hospitals in Utah. Hospital charges for these bicyclists were $842,087.00. The average hospital charge for these bicyclists was $16,511.513
1
Utah Department of Health, Violence and Injury Prevention Program
2
Environmental Working Group
3
Intermountain Injury Control Research Center
4
National SAFE KIDS Campaign
5
New England Journal of Medicine 12/1999