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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reported that 932 bicyclists tragically died, and 39,000 were injured, in 2020 motor vehicle crashes on public roadways in the U.S. Every year, about 2 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths are bicyclists. Child bicyclist deaths have declined over the years, but deaths among bicyclists 20 years old and older have just about quadrupled since 1975.

On average, 18 bicyclists are involved in crashes on Florida’s roadways, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. In the first six months of 2022, one bicyclist tragically died every two days from his/her injuries.

Florida is the most dangerous state in the country for bicyclists, and Lee County is one of the leading counties in the state for injuries and deaths from bike crashes, according to Fox4 Investigates. 

Already, in January 2023, there have been two bicyclist fatalities, one in Lee County and one in Collier County:

• A 66-year-old man riding his electric bike was hit by a car, according to a Cape Coral press release. The Dodge Challenger collided its right front bumper with the right side of the electric bike causing it to break into pieces The injured bicyclist was transported to Cape Coral Hospital where he later tragically died. 

• A 35-year-old female bicyclist tragically died of her injuries on January 1, 2023, after a Naples man crashed into her at the U.S.41 E and Airport Pulling Road intersection. The Naples driver left the scene of the accident but was later apprehended.

In Status Report – Imperfect Protection Some protected bike lanes leave cyclists vulnerable to injury issued in 2019, the IIHS experts compared two-way protected bike lanes with major roads with no bike infrastructure. The study showed bike lanes on bridges were safer than those mixed with traffic. Other revelations in the study were:

• Cyclists in street-level protected lanes were more likely to encounter vehicles while crossing intersections and driveways rather than in the bicycle lanes themselves.
• Busy intersections and two-way bike lanes were most hazardous when motorists were turning.
• Pedestrians entering street-level bike lanes from the curb often caused cyclists to swerve and fall.
• Cities with more feet of protected lanes per square mile experienced fewer deaths and serious injuries.
• Bicyclist crashes in street-level protected lanes were typically less severe than in other types of lanes.
• Local roads experienced the most minor incidence of a crash or fall.
• The traditional bike paths proved to have a lower risk on major roads, and the risk was highest at intersections.

Conventional bike lanes have painted lines on the road, and protected bike lanes have physical barriers between them and the traffic. IIHS research showed that traditional bike lanes were safer than bike lanes with physical barriers. Researchers believe that the traditional bike lanes are safer because planners added them to wider roads, and protected bike lanes to more minor roads.

"Bicyclists are vulnerable when riding on Southwest Florida roadways. They have the same rights as other vehicles, and motorists have a responsibility to drive with care and undistracted. Should you or a loved one be injured in a bicycle accident because of the negligence of another, please contact our experienced Fort Myers bicycle accident law firm, Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. after seeking medical attention. We are available to assist you 24/7 with personal contact and communication along with aggressive representation. There are no costs or attorney fees until we receive a monetary recovery for you,” said Fort Myers Bicycle Accident Attorney Randall Spivey. “Please contact us at 239.337.7483, toll-free at 1.888.477.4839, or contact us online at SpiveyLaw.com.”