2007 BIKE FINAL - Phoenix, Arizona

Draft

Table of Contents

Introduction and 2007 Facts at a Glance i

Bicycle Collisions, Injuries and Fatalities 2003 – 2007 1

Bicyclists in Collisions by Age Group and Gender 2

Motorists in Bicycle Collisions by Age Group and Gender 2

Bicycle Collision Light Conditions 3

Serious Injury and Fatal Bicycle Collisions by Time of Day 3

Helmet Usage and Age of Bicyclists 4

Helmet Usage and Injury Severity of Bicyclists 4

Bicycle Collisions by Day of Week 5

Bicycle Collisions by Month 5

Bicycle Collisions by Time of Day 6

Bicyclists in Collisions by Time of Day and Age Group 6

Unit at Fault in Bicycle Collisions 7

Motorists Violations When Only Driver is at Fault 7

Bicyclists Violations When Only Bicyclist is at Fault 7

Bicycle Collisions by Street Classification 8

Motorist Movement Prior to Bicycle Collision 9

Bicyclist Movement Compared to Traffic Flow 9

Bicycle Collisions At or Near Intersections 10

Bicycle Collisions Not At Intersections 11

Intersection-Related Bicycle Collisions and Traffic Control 12

Vehicle Point of Contact with Bicyclist 13

Bicycle Collisions by Zip Code of Bicyclist 14

Bicycle Collisions by Zip Code of Collision Location 15

Additional Information 16

2007 Bicycle Collision Summary

Street Transportation Department Traffic Services Division

Safety and Neighborhood Traffic Section

Introduction With miles of wide open areas, flat streets and ideal weather for most of the year, the City of Phoenix has always been a desirable location for bicycling for recreation or commuting. The uniform and reasonably contiguous street grid system also allows bicyclists to use city streets to ride from one point in town to the next with little trouble. However, ease of travel and ideal environmental conditions come with challenges. Where ever bicyclists interact with trucks, automobiles, and pedestrians, the potential exists for conflicts in the form of bicycle crashes. Unfortunately, in most cases, bicycles and bicyclists end up on the losing end of these conflicts, regardless of who is at fault. In 2007 for instance, roughly one third of all vehicle collisions on Phoenix streets resulted in an injury or death to one of the occupants, yet over 90 percent of all bicycle crashes resulted in either an injury or death of a bicyclists. To help understand bicycle crashes and hopefully to reduce their frequency and severity, Phoenix evaluates bicycle crash reports each year and reports the results to the public. This report analyzes bike crashes that occurred on city right-of way during the 2007 calendar year.

In 2007, there were 440 bicyclist collisions on Phoenix streets involving 444 bicyclists. These collisions resulted in 414 injuries and 6 deaths. While the 2007 crash totals are still too high, they represent a 5 percent decline from the crash totals in 2006 and an 16 percent decline from the crash totals in 2004. It was also the lowest number of annual bicycle crashes since 1992.

Children below the age of 18 accounted for about a quarter of all bicyclists involved in crashes and adults between the ages of 36 and 45 accounted for 20 percent. Similar to most other types of vehicular crashes, bicycle collisions occur more frequently on arterial streets during weekday afternoons between 3 and 6 PM. Most bicyclists were hit from the left side while riding against traffic on the sidewalk, roadway or while crossing streets. Helmet use or non-use was reported in 42.6 percent of collisions. When usage was reported, only 11 percent of bicyclists were wearing helmets and fewer than 4 percent of all child bicyclists involved in collisions were reported as wearing helmets.

Recognizing the tragic consequences that any particular crash can have on an individual and their family, it is important to note that the information presented in this report is simply data. Phoenix uses this data to identify trends so that we can formulate or improve transportation policy or improve the design of public streets. However, despite our best efforts, there are limits to what can be done to improve safety through engineering alone. Improved conditions involve education and enforcement, however, the ultimate responsibility for safety rests upon the actions of the individual drivers and bicyclists. It is our hope that the information presented in this report will provide bicyclists and motorists with the information needed to make better decisions and avoid crashes.

2007 FACTS AT A GLANCE – BICYCLE CRASHES

In 2007…

…nearly 93 percent of all bicycle crashes resulted in an injury (possible, minor or severe) or death of a

bicyclist.

…the bicyclist was listed as the primary AT FAULT party more than twice as often as the motorist.

…there were 4.3 times more male bicyclists involved in crashes than female bicyclists.

…there were 124 bicyclists (28 percent) hit while riding on sidewalks or driveways.

…there were 15 crashes involving alcohol; 11 in which the bicyclists had been drinking, 3 in which

the driver had been drinking and 1 where both driver and bicyclist were drinking.

…there were 74 hit and run collisions (which also may have been alcohol-related) in which the

vehicle left the scene.

…there were 348 bicyclists (78 percent) hit during the daytime and 96 bicyclists (22 percent) hit at

night.


Street Transportation Department

Traffic Services Division


Page 1

Bicycle Collisions, Injuries and Fatalities 2003 – 2007

463

491

524

480

440

380

400

420

440

460

480

500

520

540

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

495 In

juri

es

5 F

ata

liti

es

458 In

juri

es

5 F

ata

liti

es

436 In

juri

es

11 F

ata

liti

es

420 In

juri

es

6 F

ata

liti

es

414 In

juri

es

6 F

ata

liti

es





Page 2

Bicyclists in Collisions by Age Group and Gender

Motorists in Bicycle Collisions by Age Group and Gender

Under 18 18 and Older Unknown Total

Male 86 266 8 360

Female 20 61 3 84

Total 106 327 11 444

Male 246

Female 171

Unknown 23

Total 440

45 4938 36 36

9

30

2331

3829 23

10

9

23

38

0

20

40

60

80

100

≤17

18-2

5

26-3

5

36-4

5

46-5

5

56-6

5

66-U

p

Age U

nk.

Age Group

Nu

mber

of C

ollis

ion

s

Male: Female 1.4: 1

23

58 61 5573

4128

8 8

9

1116 19

16

10

53

0

20

40

60

80

100U

p t

o 5

6-1

1

12-1

7

18-2

5

26-3

5

36-4

5

46-5

5

56-6

5

66-U

p

Age U

nk.

Age Group

Nu

mber

of C

ollis

ion

s

Children 24%

Male : Female 4.3: 1.0





Page 3

Bicycle Collision Light Conditions

Serious Injury and Fatal Bicycle Collisions by Time of Day

1 1

11

910

6

1312

0

5

10

15

12am

- 3

am

3am

- 6

am

6am

- 9

am

9am

- N

oon

Noon -

3pm

3pm

- 6

pm

6pm

- 9

pm

9pm

- 1

2am

Time

Nu

mb

er

of C

ollis

ion

s .

Dark

17.3%

Dawn/

Dusk

4.5%

Day

78.2%





Page 4

Helmet Usage and Age of Bicyclist

4

1

4

6

23

1

3

9

30

3433

26

22

5

3 3

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Up to 5 6-11 12-17 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66-Up Unknown

Age

Nu

mber

of C

ollis

ion

s

Helmet None

Helmet Usage and Injury Severity of Bicyclist

14

13

3

49

88

22

9

0

20

40

60

80

100

None Possible Minor Serious Fatal Unknown

Bicyclist Injury Severity

Nu

mber

of C

ollis

ion

s Helmet None

Under 18 18 and Older Age Unknown Total

Helmet Used 4 17 0 21

No Helmet 42 123 3 168

Not Reported 60 187 8 255

Helmet None

Helmet None





Page 5

Bicycle Collisions by Day of Week

8785

67 68

52

24

57

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

Nu

mber

of C

ollis

ion

s

Bicycle Collisions by Month

31

4043

3135

3330

50

46

3432

35

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Month

Nu

mb

er

of C

ollis

ion

s'





Page 6

Bicycle Collisions by Time of Day (440)

4

69 66

94

34

111

56

6

0

25

50

75

100

125

12am

- 3

am

3am

- 6

am

6am

- 9

am

9am

- N

oon

Noon -

3pm

3pm

- 6

pm

6pm

- 9

pm

9pm

- 1

2am

Time

Number of Collisions

Bicyclists in Collisions by Time of Day and Age Group (444)

23

11

22

33

12

53

6

47

54

7274

43

28

1 1 25

1 1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

12a

m - 3

am

3a

m - 6

am

6a

m - 9

am

9a

m -

Noo

n

No

on

- 3

pm

3p

m - 6

pm

6p

m - 9

pm

9pm

- 1

2a

m

Time of Day

Nu

mber

of C

ollis

ion

s

Children(Up to 17)

Adults(18 and Up)

Unknown





Page 7

Unit at Fault in Bicycle Collisions

Bicyclist

52%

Driver

23%

Both

18%

Neither

1%

Unknown

6%

Motorists Violations When Bicyclists Violations When Only Driver is at Fault Only Bicyclist is at Fault

Speed Too Fast

5.0%Other 8.0%

Inattention

19.0%

Disregarded

Signal 3.0%

Ran Stop

Sign 2.0%

Failed to Yield

63.0%

Failed to Yield

25.5%

Ran Stop

Sign 3.5%

Disregarded

Signal 6.9%

Rode Opposing

Traffic 13.0%Faulty

Equipment 0.4%

Inattention

13.9%

Other*

36.8%

* Other also includes some bicyclists who rode against the traffic flow





Page 8

Bicycle Collisions by Street Classification

306 (69.5%) Near Intersection (Within 150 feet)

134 (30.5%) Mid-block / Non-Intersection (Over 150 feet)

Street Classification Examples Freeways are I-17 (Black Canyon Freeway), I-10, Loop 202, on-ramps, access roads, etc.

Arterial streets are typically the mile-line streets such as 7th Ave, 16th St, Camelback Rd, and Union Hills Dr as defined on the Phoenix Street Classification Map.

Collector streets are typically the half-mile-line streets such as 39th Ave, 28th St, Roeser Rd, and Maryland Ave as defined on the Phoenix Street Classification Map. Local streets are typically the neighborhood streets such as 88th Ln, Dromedary Rd, Holly St, 21st St, and Glenn Dr and are not defined as arterial or collector streets.

Arterial 77.8%

Collector 9.6%

Local 12.6%

Arterial - Arterial

17.4%

Arterial - Local

34.4%

Freeway -

Collector 0.6%Arterial -

Freeway 5.2%

Local - Local

8.9%

Collector -

Arterial 22.3%

Collector -

Collector 3.3%

Collector -

Local 7.9%





Page 9

Motorist Movement Prior to Bicycle Collision

Bicyclist Movement Compared to Traffic Flow

Exiting Alley or

Driveway,

15.9%

Left Turn, 11.4%

Right Turn,

29.5%

Straight, 34.3%

Other, 8.9%

Bicyclist 17 & Under

Riding

Against

Traffic 57%

Riding With

Traffic 19%

Other 1%Crossing

Street 23%

All Bicyclist

Crossing

Street 14%

Other 2%

Riding With

Traffic 29%

Riding

Against

Traffic 55%





Page 10

52 in unmarked

crosswalk

23 in street

(no bike lane) 18 riding with traffic

9 in bike lane 5 riding against traffic

35 at driveway

(on sidewalk) 27 riding against traffic

20 crossing

mid-block

33 within intersection 18 riding with traffic

134 within marked crosswalk 82 riding against traffic

Bicycle Collisions At or Near Intersections

306 (69.5%) of the 440 bicycle collisions occurred within 150 feet of an intersection.

Bik

e L

ane





Page 11

4 riding in bike lane 4 riding with traffic

26 crossing mid-block

87 at driveway

(on sidewalk) 77 riding against traffic

17 in street

(no bike lane) 11 riding with traffic

Bicycle Collisions Not At Intersections

134 (30.5%) of the 440 bicycle collisions occurred over 150 feet from an intersection.





Page 12

Intersection-Related Bicycle Collisions and Traffic Control

Only collisions within 150 feet of an intersection (306) were evaluated for traffic control.

131 (42.8%) collisions near Traffic

Signal-controlled locations

90 (29.4%) collisions near STOP

sign controlled locations

85 (27.8%) collisions near

uncontrolled locations





Page 13

Vehicle Point of Contact with Bicyclist





Page 14

Bicycle Collisions by Zip Code of Bicyclist

0.00 – 1.74

1.75 – 3.49

3.50 – 5.24

5.25 – 6.99

7.00 – Up

Bicyclist Hit Per 10,000 Residents

¬





Page 15

Bicycle Collisions by Zip Code of Collision Location

0.0 – 1.0

1.0 – 2.5

2.5 – 4.5

4.5 – 7.5

7.5 – Up

¬ Bicycle Collisions Per

10,000 Residents





Page 16

Additional Information This report documents the bicycle-motor vehicle collision history for the City of Phoenix during the

2007 calendar year. Collision data used for this report were obtained through Phoenix Police

records and the database maintained by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) known

as ALISS (Accident Location Identification and Surveillance System).

The ALISS database includes crashes between bicycles and motor vehicles that occurred on public

right-of-way where someone was injured or killed or where property damage exceeded $1,000.

Crashes that occurred on private property, or that did not involve injuries or significant property

damage, were not included. Bicycle falls or crashes on sidewalks or streets that did not involve a

motor vehicle are similarly not included in the statewide ALISS crash database.

This publication can be made available in Braille, large print, audio tape, or cassette tape upon

request. Contact the Street Transportation Department at 602-262-6284 if you would like any of

these services. Our TTY phone number is 602-256-4286.

Special Thanks to everyone who helped review this document and made suggestions on how to

make it better.

Cover: the photo was taken by Tony Hernandez and features his two sons Antonio and Xavier.

Documents

2007 BIKE FINAL - Phoenix, Arizona