Bicyclist fatalities: How Illinois aligns with — and differs from — national trends
Not crashing — my unspoken goal last January — served me well in 2024. With New Year’s resolutions still fresh, now’s a good time to ponder cycling safety in 2025.
Crashes of any kind can sidetrack one’s ambitions, not to mention future touring adventures inspired by old man winter. Fatal ones eliminate them permanently.
Statewide biking fatality data for the past seven years, collected by Ride Illinois, the statewide, nonprofit bike advocacy organization, offers insights on some characteristics of biking fatalities when compared to national trends.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report, Countermeasures That Work (11th Edition, 2023), is a basic reference for state highway departments to address major highway safety problem areas. Its bicycle safety section includes 2007-2021 statistics, commuting trends, and selected fatality characteristics.
Reviewing that report, I found certain characteristics of our state’s 2024 fatal crashes involving bicyclists align closely with national trends. This was based on data listed on the Biking Fatalities in Illinois map maintained by Ride Illinois.
Among other fields, the map displays crash date and time, victim’s age and gender, and crash geo-coordinates for fatal crashes since 2018. It also pinpoints the locations of fatal crashes involving bicyclists.
The Ride Illinois initiative, “Our Response to Fatal Crashes,” started in early 2024 in reaction to the increasing number of biking fatalities over the past five years. It intends to raise awareness of each fatal bike crash in Illinois, influence decision makers to make state roads safer, and encourage motorists to drive safely around pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vulnerable road users.
The fatality map initially included 2018-2023 fatality data provided by the Illinois Department of Transportation, sourced from law enforcement reports. Since launch, Ride Illinois has compiled data from media reports as it learns of fatal crashes.
Unofficial running total
Rather than waiting until 2024 state data is officially available, this process provided a running total of more current, albeit provisional, information. Official crash data won’t be released until the middle of 2025, per Maria Castaneda, IDOT public information officer.
“IDOT data will supplement the data we’ve collected, because some key details are not captured in official crash reports,” said Ride Illinois Executive Director Dave Simmons.
Through its efforts, Ride Illinois captured data for 24 fatal crashes involving bicyclists in 2024, though fewer than the unofficial 32 bicyclist fatalities that IDOT displayed on its site as of Dec. 31.
A review of the 2024 fatalities captured by Ride Illinois revealed age and gender aligned with national trends, plus one notable contrast regarding time of day in the NHTSA report.
Nationally, 86% of individuals killed while biking were males, likewise in Illinois — 19 of 22 crashes in which gender was identified. Regarding average age, the comparison was very close: 49 years old nationally versus 43 in Illinois, based on the 21 crashes in which age was identified.
Time of day for fatal bike crashes in Illinois differed significantly from the national trend. NHTSA refers to this as the “time/light condition,” reporting, “over half (56%) of bicyclist fatalities occur in dawn, dusk, or nighttime conditions; the highest proportion.” In contrast, 87% of Illinois bicyclists were killed during those same time/light conditions, based on 20 of 23 crashes in which time of day was identified.
Bike Swap bargains
In its 16th year, the Chicago Winter Bike Swap returns to the Kane County Fairgrounds Sunday, Feb. 9, offering bargains on new/used bikes and equipment as vendors clear out inventory for 2025. Shops, clubs and biking organizations from all around Chicagoland can help you envision the riding season ahead.
Lobby doors open at 8:30 a.m., swap doors at 9:30 a.m., with bargain hunters queuing early for first crack at hundreds of bike-related deals from shops and individuals. The fairgrounds are at 525 S. Randall Road, St. Charles. Admission is $5; $5.50 with credit card.
Numerous bike-related organizations explain upcoming bike tours, races and other events. These include Chicago Area Mountain Bikers (CAMBr), the bike camping organization Out Our Front Door, and Chicago Randonneurs.
Uncle Cam's Sandwiches and Panzi'z Panzerotti food trucks will offer selections, and D&G Brewery will be pouring pints in the lobby.
• Join the ride. Contact Ralph Banasiak at alongfortheridemail@gmail.com.