Arkansas Fatal Bicycle Accident Statistics

Arkansas Fatal Bicycle Accident Statistics

Arkansas reported three bicycle fatalities involving a motor vehicle for 2015. This number is a dramatic decline from the seven reported in 2014. In 2013, there were four with both 2011 and 2012 reporting six per year. This information comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Like the majority of states, Arkansas does not have a state helmet law in place for adult or underage cyclists. The most serious injuries in a bicycle accident occur to the head. In fact, statistics show that helmet use reduces the chance of injury to the head by 50 percent with face and neck injury reduced by 33 percent. Studies have indicated that more riders will wear a helmet if a law is enacted.

The majority of victims in bicycle crashes are age 20 or older. In fact, 88 percent of deaths fall in this age range. Less than 17 percent of those who were fatally injured were wearing helmets. The year 2015 saw an increase in bicycle deaths by 13 percent, which is the highest rate since 1995. However, overall bicycle fatalities have dropped since 1975 by 19 percent, especially in those under age 20. More male riders are killed than female riders for every year since 1975.

Arkansas had three counties report a bicycle-related death for 2015. Benton County reported just one for the year, which was up from zero for the previous year. Lawrence County was another location that had one fatality, and it was the first for the five-year reporting period. The third county to report a death was Cleburne, which had also had a record of zero for the previous years since 2011. All three counties were in the northern part of the state with the majority of the state at zero for the year.


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