The practice of cycling is becoming more and more widespread, and with it, the number of fatal accidents involving cyclists is increasing. This rise in popularity has been propelled by the rise of self-service bicycles and the advent of pedelecs. The state of play, from a statistical point of view, is alarming.
The craze for the bicycle as individual transport has grown exponentially over the past 20 years. Formerly auxiliary, the biclou is now considered a real alternative to conventional means of mobility. However, this overall increase in interest is necessarily accompanied by an increase in accidents.
The bicycle and its growing popularity
The number of cyclists is growing, particularly in metropolitan areas. According to currently available estimates, cycling has increased by 20% in three years in large cities. Rural areas are also seeing a significant increase, with 18% since 2019.
The health crisis has reconfigured many aspects of our society, and transportation is no exception. To avoid public transport, many people have started to favor bicycles for short-distance trips. The increased accessibility of electric bikes has democratized this practice to a wider audience, once reluctant to pedal. At the same time, the improvement of infrastructure dedicated to the safety of cyclists in urban areas has played a catalytic role in this increase.
An alarming increase in fatal accidents
However, more cyclists on the roads also means more frequent, and more fatal, accidents. Until very recently, the number of cyclist road fatalities remained stable and represented a relatively small portion of total road fatalities. Since 2019, this proportion has increased dangerously.
The National Interministerial Road Safety Observatory (ONISR) has produced a statistical report summarizing the increase in these accidents. In 2019, there were 187 deaths of cyclists, compared to 245 in 2022. This represents an increase of 38% in just three years in the national territory. Including deaths related to electric scooters and other means of personal transport, the increase reached 90% over 12 years.
If we analyze the figures by the angle of traffic time, cycling represents a much higher risk of death than driving or walking. It accounts for 3% of overall traffic time, but accounts for 7% of road deaths. Nevertheless, motorized two-wheelers remain much more dangerous and are far ahead in terms of risks.
The increase in the number of bicycle accidents in parallel with the democratization of the practice is a logical statistical phenomenon. However, more standards are urgently needed to reduce the death rate. Cycling should be encouraged, but this should not be done to the detriment of user safety. Many efforts are still needed to stem this worrying increase.
Sources: What to choose, ONISR
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