Last year (2017) was another bad year for bicycle related fatalities in Maryland, with 12 people on bicycles being killed on Maryland roadways. While the 2017 numbers were better than 2016, they’re still not good.
I've been tracking bicycle related fatalities in Maryland for two years now. I started when I became curious about a rash of deaths in the summer of 2016. In 2016, things were rough all over, with 840 bicyclist killed nationwide – the highest number since 1991. Pedestrian deaths were 5,987 nationwide – the highest number since 1990; increasing by 9.0 percent. Official numbers for 2017 aren't available as of January 2018.
I track these fatalities through media reporting - which can be a little difficult at times - but it provides us, the cycling community, some feedback on what's happening on the roads in a fairly timely basis. Government reporting can be a year or two behind and then you just get the statistics – not the person on the bike, not the mechanics of the crash – not accident – crash, and certainly not the personal impact on the community.
Some things to take to heart – the majority (10 of 12) of the riders killed in 2017 were hit between sunset and sunrise.
The youngest was 14 years old and the oldest was 74 years old. A third of the crashes (4 of 12) were hit and runs.
2017 Fatalities (Read: Date / Name / Age / Area)
13-Jan-17 / William C. Bosley / 70 / Hagerstown
24-Jan-17 / Brian E. Argy / 58 / Frederick
27-Jan-17 / Jamal Quentin Anderson / 14 / Randallstown
17-Feb-17 / George Ernest McNab / 59 / Waldorf
26-Apr-17 / Mariah Johnson / 17 / Hagerstown
17-May-17 / Thomas Randolph / 26 / Rockville
19-Jun-17 / Aaron Michael Laciny / 20 / Towson
04-Jul-17 / Jeremy Pope / 25 / Linthicum
21-Jul-17 / Harrison Thomas Earls / 20 / Taneytown
28-Aug-17 / Frederick Cherry / 58 / Fruitland
1-Sep-17 / Veronika Badurova / 21 / Ocean City
6-Sep-17 / Loreto Andal Canubas / 74 / Wheaton
Maryland Bicycle related fatalities (2010-2017)
(Read: Year / # Deaths)
2010 8
2011 5
2012 5
2013 7
2014 6
2015 10
2016 16*
2017 12*
* fatalities from media reporting. Official numbers may end up being higher.
Sources:
- http://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/local/bicyclist-dies-after-collision-with-dump-truck/article_dbb9c704-d9fa-11e6-aec2-cb026fccdf1e.html
- http://www.fredericknewspost.com/public/bicyclist-dead-after-crash-involving-tractor-trailer-on-md/article_46f15489-f77d-538a-9c07-e1ff7f871205.html
- http://patch.com/maryland/owingsmills/man-charged-dui-deadly-liberty-road-crash-baltimore-county-police
- http://smnewsnet.com/archives/415074/update-bicyclist-dies-from-injuries-sustained-in-waldorf-motor-vehicle-crash/
- http://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/local/girl-killed-in-hagerstown-crash-recalled-fondly-at-vigil/article_5a73157d-a07d-5a01-8e40-172bc62dd209.html
- http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/rockville/man-on-bike-crashes-dies-minutes-after-birthday/440815599
- http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-co-cyclist-killed-20170620-story.html
- http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/anne-arundel/ph-ac-cn-cyclist-car-crash-0704-20170704-story.html
- http://www.abc2news.com/news/region/carroll-county/20-year-old-bicyclist-struck-killed-in-taneytown
- http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-ocean-city-bicyclist-injured-20170906-story.html
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/elderly-man-on-motorized-scooter-struck-and-killed-by-unmarked-police-cruiser/2017/09/07/16bb2afe-93bf-11e7-aace-04b862b2b3f3_story.html?utm_term=.9c622f884f33&wpisrc=nl_buzz&wpmm=1#comments
- http://www.wmdt.com/news/maryland/update-bicyclist-dead-after-vehicle-crash-in-fruitland/613937080
- http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/bs-md-co-fatal-crash-20170128-story.html
- https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2017/09/07/driver-charged-in-fatal-hit-and-run-warrant-issued-for-suspect/
- https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/usdot-releases-2016-fatal-traffic-crash-data
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