Motorized bicycles, Ebikes and crash reporting

[UPDATE: it seems quite possible something changed after 2020? see comment and stats]
[UPDATE: Something DEFINITELY changed as of FARS 2022; see below]

Executive Summary

  • People riding motorized bicycles are categorized as DRIVERS, and not as bicyclists, for crash reporting purposes.
  • How will Ebike crashes be reported?
  • new wildcard: what about escooter crashes?

Each of these has the potential to skew crash reporting statistics. Motorized bicycles have not seen wide use, but ebikes are expected to become much more common

I propose adding a few new “Body Style” definitions: 1) bicycle (well, pedalcycle), 2) motorized bicycle, 3) ebike; this would not require any changes to the Arizona Crash Forms, simply an update to the Crash Form Instruction Manual.

It is expected that ebikes will see large growth in use in the coming years; e.g, the WSJ reported: Continue reading “Motorized bicycles, Ebikes and crash reporting”

Little girl seriously hurt on sidewalk as driver jumps curb near Apache Junction

5/20/2018, 743am. Ellsworth and Broadway. A little girl and her mother became collateral damage after two drivers collided, one vehicle began spinning and “jumped the curb of the southwest corner of the intersection (two pedestrians), who were standing on the sidewalk”.

One driver was attempting to turn left, the other going straight (a “left cross”); who caused the wreck? Police are still investigating, it’s not clear which of the two drivers caused it; what is clear is that one or the other or both drivers caused a crash that seriously injured the little girl, and caused minor injuries to her mother who were on the sidewalk at the time.

Continue reading “Little girl seriously hurt on sidewalk as driver jumps curb near Apache Junction”

SUV – Ped Deaths continue to increase

The increased risk posed by SUV (more generally, “Light trucks”) drivers on other road users has been pointed out before, many years ago. See e.g. Lefler 2004, or Paulozzi  2005 for studies published in Accid Anal Prev, and  Inj Prev. Though the harm to peds is notable, it also noted at that time by the IIHS this heightened risk, while decreasing (at that time, the early to mid 2000s) modestly, extends to drivers of other motor vehicles, see IIHS: SUVs Becoming Less Deadly.

Continue reading “SUV – Ped Deaths continue to increase”

Austrian bicyclist dies in Kingman Crash

4/5/2018 11:05am  Bicyclist Stefan Ganster was struck from behind by the driver of a pickup in the 1200 block of W. Beale Street, Kingman, which is a.k.a. US-93, part of the S.H.S.  He was seriously injured and died of his injuries several days later. A couple of odd remarks from the news story:

He was riding westbound on Beale Street in the curb lane. The pickup driver, also westbound in the inside lane, changed lanes and crashed into the bicyclist.
Vision obstruction and speed are believed to be factors in the crash.

Continue reading “Austrian bicyclist dies in Kingman Crash”

Driver arrested in Sierra Vista bicyclist fatality

5/8/2018 1:36pm Buffalo Soldier Trail just south of Garden Ave.

Bicyclist 71-year old David Alva was killed. The driver was arrested.

No particulars were given about the crash; I inferred the bicyclist was struck from behind. The road there is wide multi-laned, divided, arterial in addition to wide bike lanes. Continue reading “Driver arrested in Sierra Vista bicyclist fatality”

Search Traffic Crash Data

Search FARS

FARS is the federal database of all police-reported fatal traffic incidents in the United States. It is intended to be complete accounting; it has come to my attention there are some known missing incidents.

This tool allows anyone to easily search the FARS database by exact date for the years from the most recent available (currently 2017) back to 2010. It also allows to filter by whether or not a pedestrian,  bicyclist, motorcyclist, or anybody was involved. Continue reading “Search Traffic Crash Data”

Glendale bicyclist struck by hit-and-run driver has died

Hit and Run Suspect

Hit and run crash occurred 3/29/2018 ~ 9pm. The bicyclist died of his injuries 4/30.

“Cleon Baker was riding his bike east on Camelback Road near 48th Avenue the night of March 29. Just before 9 p.m., a van – a white Ford Econline with its headlights off, police say — hit him.”

Police are still seeking the driver of a white Ford Econoline van; they believe the driver was caught on surveillance video, described as a Hispanic male, 25-35 years old with a shaved head, mustache, and a thin build.  Continue reading “Glendale bicyclist struck by hit-and-run driver has died”

Driver carries body several blocks before fleeing

suspect Ronald Hays turned himself in to police a couple of days after the fatal hit-and-run

Sun April 29, 2018 ~ 10:30pm. Van Buren, near 27th Avenue, Phoenix. Fatal hit-and-run victim Isela Ortega.

Horrific witness video shows a hit-and-run driver carrying the body of victim on top of car for several blocks. and then driving away after it fell off. The victim’s family is hoping someone can identify the driver, and/or encourages the driver to come forward. 12news.com Continue reading “Driver carries body several blocks before fleeing”

Your Pickup Truck Takes You for a Ride

Thanks to Holman Jenkins for reminding us, from time to time (here’s one from 2008!), there is still, over 50 years later, a “chicken tax” which places a 25% tariff on imported “trucks”; this helps to distort the automobile market. In his column 3/31/2018 Your Pickup Truck Takes You for a Ride, he pithily summarizes the on-going situation: Continue reading “Your Pickup Truck Takes You for a Ride”

Uber involved pedestrian fatality

Preface: This crash has nothing to do with bicycling other than the pedestrian was pushing a bicycle at the time. Because of the notoriety, the incident has its own wiki article.

3/18/2018 night-time (10pm?)  mid-block pedestrian fatality might not even be reported in the news; but this being the first reported AV (Autonomous Vehicle) traffic fatality (in the world?!), it’s huge news. Continue reading “Uber involved pedestrian fatality”

Ebike bill rides again

In 2018, Arizona passed e-bike legislation, adopting the model legislation promoted by the industry. Quick reference, as enacted:

 

[Update — It’s all passed and signed as of 5/16/2018… see below ]
Late in this legislative season (53 2nd regular), an ebike bill has once again surfaced from Rep Worsley; this time as a “striker” in the former dark sky lighting special plates bill HB2266.

The bill is suddenly, as is always the case I guess with strikers, being heard, scheduled for 3/20/2018 in the senate where it passed unanimously… Continue reading “Ebike bill rides again”

woman killed at Tempe bus stop by out-of-control driver

3/12/2018 ~11:30am near Baseline and Priest, Tempe; 52 yo Penny L. Brown was killed by a driver who for unstated reasons lost control in a Circle K parking lot and wiped her out on the sidewalk near a bus stop…

According to police, as officers arrived at the scene, they learned that a male driver had lost control of his vehicle and struck Brown, who was standing near the bus stop on the south side of Baseline. abc15

Continue reading “woman killed at Tempe bus stop by out-of-control driver”

Man murdered in Scottsdale

security cam footage of assailant escaping

2/22/2018,  N Scottsdale Road, near McDowell. Why this took over three weeks to make the news is very weird!? The assailant escaped after jumping into a black 1995 to 1996 black Nissan 200SX, with a 2nd suspect already in the vehicle. Police have so far not located the suspect or vehicle.

This will be a non-traffic statistic (because not a collision with a “motor vehicle in transport”)

Continue reading “Man murdered in Scottsdale”

Phoenix’s Sawcut ordinance

Sawcut in asphalt creates maintenance problems; especially within a bike lane. In this example, the cut was created when City of Tempe upgraded curbs for ADA purposes (Spring 2018, Warner Road and Dorsey.

Cutting into a road surface creates maintenance problems. Since the city is ultimately responsible for it, there are a set of rules, permits, and fees imposed on whomever might be doing the digging, typically an adjoining property owner (for, for example a new driveway) or utility companies, or the city itself (see example photo at right).

The aftermath of any cutting or digging in a road is particularly problematical for bicyclists when it results in longitudinal gashes/gaps/cracks… and is particularly problematical when the crack is within a Bike Lane because it can reduce the usable width to the point where traveling within the BL becomes impossible to do safely; and furthermore these dangerous conditions are unlikely to be appreciated or even noticed by motorists. Continue reading “Phoenix’s Sawcut ordinance”