As Bike Month starts and politicians offer platitudes, data shows bicycling a deadly endeavor
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2025/05/as-bike-month-starts-and-politicians.html
In communities nationwide, May marks the beginning of National Bike Month. This is a time of year when politicians and policymakers trot out proclamations and encourage increased bicycle usage to promote health and environmental causes.
Notwithstanding the proclamation that will be issued by Elk Grove during a May city council meeting and other government entities, how likely is it that the Elk Grove Mayor or any of her City Councilmen will ever be seen bicycling to work? It is a better bet to wager on the Sacramento Kings winning an NBA championship than having a politician bike to work.
Aside from the rosy proclamations, data reveal a sobering reality that over the past decade, bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities have climbed to alarming levels. Think about driving your bicycle on the Elk Grove and Laguna boulevards during rush hour.
As one cyclist told us, given the high-speed traffic, reckless drivers, and red-light runners, only those with a death wish use those lanes. Nationally, bicycling has become a dangerous undertaking.
For the purpose of this story, we will focus on bicyclist safety, although pedestrians are in some ways at more risk.
According to a KCRA report, the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office documented 61 cyclist and 369 pedestrian deaths in the five years through June 2024. Through April 30, four bicyclists have been killed in Sacramento County accidents, one of which was a motor vehicle hit-and-run.
The National Safety Council reports, "Of the 1,377 bicyclist deaths in 2023, 937 died in motor-vehicle crashes and 440 in other incidents, according to National Center for Health Statistics mortality data. Males accounted for 89% of all bicycle deaths, over eight times the fatalities for females."
Statistics for Elk Grove show that at least three bicyclists have been involved in fatal accidents since 2019.
May's Bike Month will spotlight the benefits of cycling, but the rise in bicyclist fatalities underscores an urgent need for increased safety. There are some solutions to make Elk Grove bicyclists safer and encourage further use, and an example is our backyard.
In a follow-up story next Wednesday, we will visit a nearby example road modification that could be easily implemented if the mayor and city council are genuinely committed to making biking safer.
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Pedestrians and cyclists in Elk Grove, please be sure your life insurance policy is updated!
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