Colorado Fatal Bicycle Accident Statistics
For the year 2015, Colorado reported 13 bicycle fatalities which involved a motor vehicle. This number is up from 2014 when 10 were recorded. The low point came in both 2010 and 2011 when the two years reported eight. This information is according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The percentage of bicycle-related deaths in overall traffic fatalities is two percent, which is the same as the US average. There was a 13 percent increase in bicycles crashing with motor vehicles in 2015 from 2014, which was the highest since 1995. Out of those who were killed in these accidents, 88 percent are age 20 or older. Fatal accidents where the rider is under age 20 have declined by 88 percent since 1975. For those above this age, the number of deaths has tripled.
Colorado does not have a state helmet law for riders on bicycles. Studies show that those states with helmet laws see an increase of four times the number of people who will wear a helmet when riding. Helmet use has been shown to decrease the likelihood of head injury by half and the risk of face and neck injury by 33 percent. The most serious injuries that occur in bicycle accidents are head injuries.
Nine counties in Colorado reported at least one bicycle fatality for 2015, but all of them had fewer than six for the year. While the counties were scattered throughout the state, they were mainly in the northern and western portions of the state. Denver County reported two bicycle-related fatalities for the year, which was a decrease from the previous year. Larimer County also had two fatalities, but this was an increase from the one reported in 2014. Weld and Adams counties had just one each while Jefferson County reported three for the year.