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~ BIA Biryding Reference Book will spend the next 20 years malting their influence known in concrete. Expect to see many more relatively simple-and f f l e Fa c fis a n ia u re s ~ cheap-changes that will make it more ~ " V v inviting and safer to bicycle as well as 'I making our cities quieter and more humane. ~ Bicycle usage Our inevitable bri ht future 9 The following estimates were developed 1993, and a summory for the last ten years But what Of all this optimism? [sn't by the Bicycle Institute of America (BIA). appear below. there a lurking suspicion that it won't Data for 1992, projections for growth in happen so easily? Bicycle Use In 1992 Perhaps, and for a very stubborn rea- Total U.S. bicyclists 99 million son. Americans have spent about 40 years Adults (persons 16 and over) 55 million (56 -two generations or so-relegating [he Children 44 million 44% bicycle to the status of a child's toy. They Male/Female ratio (for adults) 45°° / 55% are likely to be slow to adapt to the idea Estimated that the bicycle is an adult tool, except [nccease maybe for recreation and fun. As a result Category orUse 1992 Level 92 to 93 bicycles and bicycling may be embraced Adults cycling regularly 31 million + 10% selectivel slowl and in wa s that avoid (average once a week) 4.3 million + 15% Y, Y, Y Bi de commuters exploiting all the benefits of the machine Adults cycling in competition {racing) 250 K + 5% and activity. That explains why most Mountain/Hybrid bike riders 25 million +20% traffic engineers don't understand that People touring orvacationing by bike 1.7 million + 5% bicycles reduce congestion-to give one Recreational event participants 3.8 million + 10% short example. summary: 1983 -1992 But enough pessimism. Bicycling will {in millions) prevail! In all its glory! Bicycles are too 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 good, too useful, too healthful, and too Total U.S. bicyclists 72.0 75.0 78.0 82.0 85.0 88.0 90.0 93.0 96.0 99.0 much fun, to do otherwise. Adults riding regularly 10.0 11.0 12.0 14.0 17.0 20.0 23.0 25.0 27.5 31.0 Bicycle commuters 1.5 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.7 3.2 3.5 4.0 4.3 John Schubert is technical editor of Bike- Racing (in thousands) 40 K 75 K 100 K 120 K 150 K 180 K 200 K 220 K 240 K 250K centennial's membership magazine Bike- Mountain bike riders 0.2 0.5 1.1 2.6 5.0 7.5 11.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 Report, the author of two cycling books, Touring & vacations 0.50 0.55 0.60 0.75 0.85 1.0 1.1 1.3 1.5 1.7 Event participants n.a. 1.0 1.2 1.5 1.8 2.4 2.7 3.0 3.5 3.8 and a memberof Pennsylvania's state Source: Bicycle Institute ofAmerica bitycle advisory board. He published his first article about bitycles in 1974. Bicyclist crashes and injuries have Iles, however, 96 percent of bicyclists' Bicyclist Crashes and been tracked over time by two federal fatalities do involve a collision with a Injuries government agencies, the Consumer motor vehicle. In 1991, 841 bicyclists Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and were killed according to FARS data. While the demographics of bicycle-re- the National Hi hwayy Traffic Safety Bicyclists' deaths represented 2 per- lated injuries has remained consistent Administration ~NHTSA). The National cent of all traffic deaths. over the past several years, there has Electronic Injury Surveillance System •Two-thirds of the bicyclists were 15 been a dramatic change in the age of (NEISS) was created by CPSC to track years or older. A decade ogo, less than bicyclists being killed. The number of product-related injuries treated in hos- a third were. bicycle fatalities has continued to de- pital emergency rooms. In 1990, the • Across all oge groups, those killed are crease, but the proportion of adults emergency room sample was updated much more likely to be male. In 1991, 86 killed has more than doubled. Over 56 and expanded which created injury percent were male. percent of the bicyclists killed in 1991 estimates an average of 18 ercent were 21 years old or older. In 1977, only higher across all products. The bicycle- Bicyclist MoforVehicle-Related fatalities 22 percent were 21 years old or older. In related injury estimate for 1991 cannot Year Male Female Total 1991, the overage age of a bicyclist killed be compared to data collected prior to 1977 730 192 922 was 28.4 years. 1990. 1978 714 178 892 Of the 601,172 bicyclists injured in 1979 759 173 932 Bigdist Injuries 1991: 1980 782 183 965 Treaded In Emergency Rooms Approximately 4 percent were hos- 1981 748 181 936* pitalized. The remaining 96 percent 571,000 1982 720 144 864 1984 - 557,000 were examined or treated in the emer- 1983 700 130 830 1985 582 OOp gency room and released. 1984 6g4 153 838* 1986 X4,000 • Nearly 70 percent of injured bicyclists 1985 732 137 869 1987 562,000 were mole. 1986 789 140 929 1988 525,000 •Two-thirds of the injured were under 14 1987 g26 115 941 1989 514,700 years of age. 1988 781 129 910 1990 580,119* The number of bicyclists killed each 1989 695 126 831 * 1991 (i01,172* year as aresult of abicycle/motor vehi- 1990 734 122 856 cle collision is compiled by NHTSA their 1991 720 121 841 `New means of determining national statis- their Fatal Accident Reporting System * tics implemented in 1990. {FARS). A majority of all bicyclists' in- Includes sex unknown ' Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety juries, such as those represented in the Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Commission NEISS data, do not involve motor vehi- Administration 6 i