Alabama Fatal Bicycle Accident Statistics
Alabama reported a total of nine fatalities for bicycle accidents in 2015. This information comes from a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This represents one percent of the total number of traffic fatalities for the year.
Nationwide, bicycle fatalities have risen 13 percent from 2014 to 2015, but the number has gone down 19 percent from 1975. Fatalities for those under age 20 have gone down by 88 percent since 1975 while the number has risen for those above this age. More males than females have died in bicycle accidents which crashed with motor vehicles.
The majority of bicycle deaths occur in the afternoon hours from 3PM to 9PM. The majority of riders were killed in urban areas in 2015. Two-thirds of the bicycle fatal accidents happen in non-intersections.
Alabama has a state law requiring those age 15 and younger to wear a helmet, which is part of the reason deaths have declined for this age range. However, 2009 reported only six deaths for the year while 2008 had four. Nine counties reported a bicycle death for 2015. The highest concentration was in the central part of the state, but the south and northern portions also reported fatalities.
Baldwin County, the southernmost part of the state, reported one fatality for 2014 and 2015. Limestone County, which is in the northern part of the state, had one bicycle death, which was up from zero for the past several years. The same was true of Blount County. Cullman County has reported one death for 2013 and 2015. Jefferson County also had one death for the year, which was down from the high point in 2012 with two. Other counties reporting a death for 2015 were Tuscaloosa, Lee, Tallapoosa and Dale. All reported one fatality and some had previously had none for the previous four years.