2019 Maryland Bicycle Related Fatalities in Review

This year (2019) was another bad year for bicycle related fatalities in Maryland, with nine (9) people on bicycles being killed on Maryland roadways as of  31 December 2019. While the 2019 numbers were better than 2016 and 2017, they’re still not good – good would be ZERO. Better is small consolation to the families of those killed.

I've been tracking bicycle related fatalities in Maryland for four 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. 

Bias in Reporting

Before you read any further, take a moment to realize that in the vast majority of fatal and non-fatal crashes the reporting is one-sided – pure and simple. The bias is strong. 

Firstly, the person on the bicycle either can’t give their side of the story because they’re dead or they’re in no shape to give it. Maybe they can’t even remember what happened because of the trauma. So who’s in good shape to tell what happened?  The person driving the automobile – that’s who. Then look at pretty much any news article or police media release on bike vs. car crash and look for the bias…it’s not hard to find it.  Hon, your bias is showing.   

Cyclist vs. Person on Bike

You’ll notice I don’t regularly use the word cyclist – I use ‘person on bike’ or ‘people on bikes’ or the person driving the car. Using the word pedestrian, cyclist, driver move the responsibility away from the person and make the victim, the person somehow less – you didn’t kill a cyclist, you killed a person – a son, a daughter, a husband, a wife, a person – another human being. 

You'll also notice that I don't mention if the person on the bicycle was wearing a helmet. Until they invent some super-duper helmet that repels cars and drunk/high drivers, I'll not mention the presence of a helmet. 

 

Maryland Bicycle Related Fatalities (2010 to 2019)

• 2010 - 8
• 2011 - 5
• 2012 - 5
• 2013 - 7
• 2014 - 6
• 2015 - 10
• 2016 - 16*
• 2017 - 12* 
• 2018 - 8*
• 2019 - 9*
  

* Fatalities from media reporting. Official numbers may end up being higher

2019 Bicycle Related Fatalities (Read: Date / Name / Age / Area) 

• 5 May 2019 / Lennel Boone / 55 / Glen Burnie, MD
• 26 May 2019 / Richard Shrock / 62 / Princeess Anne, MD
• 17 June 2019 / Michael Larry Hughes Jr. / 52 / Hampden, MD
• 17 July 2019 / Joseph Hickey / 51 / Easton, MD
• 21 July 2019 / Diane Centeno Deshields / 59 / Johnsville, MD 
• 30 July 2019 / Wayne Richardson / 58 / Baltimore, MD 
• 31 July 2019 / Jacob Cassell / 17 / Bethesda, MD 
• 9 October 2019 / John Buillickson / 39 / Brandywine, MD 
• 27 October 2019 / Andrew Brown / 28 / White Marsh, MD 

2019 was a little weird in that the majority of the people on bikes killed were killed during daylight hours. In 2017 and 2018 it was just the opposite.  Not sure what’s the story there, but an interesting tidbit. Other items of note, seven (7) of the nine (9) people killed were men and five (5) of the (9) were between the age of 51 and 60. 

Where The Numbers Come From 

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. 

Sources: 

• Lennell Boone Story
• Richard Shrock Story
• Michael Hughes Story
• Joseph Hickey Story
• Joseph Hickey Story 
• Diane Deshields Story 
• Jacob Cassell Story 
• Wayne Richardson Story 
• John Guillickson Story 
• Andrew Brown Story

Show Your LBS Some Love

Some people are doing all their shopping on-line – all of it. Even bike stuff.  I can understand a lot of it, especially as Amazon Prime and I have an intimate relationship. However, when it comes to bike stuff, the first place I go to is my Local Bike Shop (LBS). Why? Because they’re there for me today and I want them to be there tomorrow for me and future cyclists.

Now you might be wondering what a LBS gets me that Amazon or other on-line retailers don’t… the answer is simple, a relationship and just being there.

For example, I took a short vacation with my bike to the mountains of North Carolina about three years ago…Oh and I took my wife also.  Anyway, I was on my second day of riding in in the Mountains and crashed as I was turning into a gravel parking lot.  Lost a little bit of skin, a little bit of pride and I bent the hanger *sigh*

Calling your spouse for a SAG pick-up is bad enough – having your wife and your mother show up is even worse.  Oh Lawdy, the ignominy of it all.

Anyway, it’s a Sunday afternoon in the Mountains of North Carolina and there’s two bike shops in town…TWO and only one is maybe open on a Sunday and certainly not very late AND it’s a holiday weekend.  So here I am thinking my riding is done for the reset of the week because I need a new hanger, but I decide to chance it and swing by the LBS (Foothills Cyclery) and amazingly enough the owner is still there – he was fixing to walk out the door in five minutes.  

So he and I chatted for a few minutes about my mmm situation and he threw my whip up on the stand, pulled a new hanger out of the drawer and fixed me up as good as new in about 5 minutes and my vacation was saved.  Now I make it a point to swing into that bike shop whenever I go to NC, chat with the staff for a minute and see if they’ve got anything I need. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t, but they’re there and support the local cycling community everyday of the week.

Now, closer to home I’ve got my main LBS (Crofton Bike Doctor) that I visit all too often according to my spouse and two or three others that I swing into on occasion.  Sometimes, it’s to check out what’s new in gear, sometimes I need parts or supplies (lube, chain cleaners, etc.) or just to chat. I know I can swing through there and get advice, a quick tweak to my bike or I can drop it off and get it fixed within a day or so.  Amazon can’t do that for me and frankly I’m not sure I’d want them to.  
I need, not want, need a local bike shop. Your community needs a local bike shop, your kids need a local bike shop. So show them a little love.

Shops near and far that kept me right-side up ;)

Crofton Bike Doctor - https://www.croftonbikedoctor.com/

TrailWerkz Cyclery - http://www.trailwerkscyclery.com/

The Cycle Mill - https://www.cyclemillof md.com/

Foothills Cycling - 526 W Lebanon St, Mt Airy, NC 27030
Zion Cycles, 868 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale, UT 84767

2018 Bicycle Fatalities in Review

Before you read any further, take a moment to realize that in the vast majority of fatal and non-fatal crashes the reporting is one-sided – pure and simple. The bias is strong. 

Firstly, the person on the bicycle either can’t give their side of the story because they’re dead or they’re in no shape to give it. Maybe they can’t even remember what happened because of the trauma. So who’s in good shape to tell what happened?  The person driving the automobile – that’s who. Then look at pretty much any news article or police media release on bike vs. car crash and look for the bias…it’s not hard to find it. Sugar, your bias is showing.  

This year (2018) was another bad year for bicycle related fatalities in Maryland, with eight (8) people on bicycles being killed on Maryland roadways as of 1 December 2018. While the 2018 numbers were better than 2016 and 2017, they’re still not good – good would be ZERO. Better is small consolation to the families of those killed.

You’ll notice I don’t regularly use the word cyclist – I use ‘person on bike’ or ‘people on bikes’ or the person driving the car. Using the word pedestrian, cyclist, driver move the responsibility away from the person and make the victim, the person somehow less – you didn’t kill a cyclist, you killed a person – a son, a daughter, a husband, a wife, a person – another human being. 

I've been tracking bicycle related fatalities in Maryland for three 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. 

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. That looks to be the similar for 2018 – 7 of the 8 were killed between sunset and sunrise.

2018 Fatalities (Read: Date / Name / Age / Area)

7-May-18    //  Eduardo Madrid    //  38   //  Berlin, MD

25-May-18 //  Thomas Gerald Cofiell   //  53   //  Catonsville, MD

6-Jun-18     //  Paul Lentz   //  72   //  New Midway, mD

26-Jun-18    //  Joseph Pesce   //  64   //  Chesapeake Beach, MD

4-Aug-18     //  Unknown   //  Unk   //  Tanyard, MD

13-Sep-18    //  Mariyln S. Weaver   //  27   //  Loveville, MD

16-Sep-18    //  Mario Yattum   //  33   //  Lanham, MD

7-Nov-18    //  Unknown    //  47   //  Wheaton, MD

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*

2018 /  8*

* fatalities from media reporting. Official numbers may end up being higher.

Sources:

(1)    http://www.wboc.com/story/38161924/man-charged-with-vehicular-homicide-dui-in-deadly-berlin-hit-and-run

(2)    http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/bs-md-co-bicyclist-catonsville-20180526-story.html

(3)    https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/disasters_and_accidents/sheriff-s-office-identifies-bicyclist-killed-in-legore-bridge-accident/article_4b37a1ad-7c76-5518-90cd-cd03515b6206.html

(4)    http://www.somdnews.com/breaking/year-old-ejected-from-bicycle-dies/article_f446bdcd-3e9f-515a-b35d-f1041aa27eac.html

(5)    https://www.stardem.com/news/local_news/crash-near-dover-bridge-kills-one/article_a05c40e5-4f26-5845-b547-e2340dd1b585.html

(6)    http://www.somdnews.com/breaking/st-mary-s-woman-dies-after-fall-from-bicycle/article_61061b5c-993b-54a8-9a85-087faa6c2726.html

(7)    https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/man-riding-a-bicycle-killed-in-traffic-collision-in-prince-georges/2018/09/16/1b5413f6-ba2d-11e8-9812-a389be6690af_story.html?utm_term=.6905c2c44272

(8)    https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/bicyclist-struck-and-killed-wednesday-evening-in-maryland/2018/11/08/df8766be-e34b-11e8-ab2c-b31dcd53ca6b_story.html?utm_term=.008824f9c4ea

Group Rides - It's Not That Scary

Many of the riders I know put in a lot of solo miles - cranking through the countryside all alone.  The funny thing is they love - L.O.V.E. - group rides. Especially, riding in a group with friends.

Group rides are great - you get to do something you love - riding bikes with friends or at the worst people that will become your friends in short order.

Now if you've never gone on a group ride, the hardest part is actually showing up.  All sorts of things will run through your mind. Am I fast enough? Do I know enough? Is my bike cool enough? Are my cycling clothes cool enough? Riding close to people might be scary? What's the rules of riding in a group? and on and on.

The reality is that most people going out for group rides are just the same as you and had the same questions before their first group ride. So take the plunge and head on out for a group ride. Most Local Bike Shops have group rides and there are lots of cycling clubs and informal Meet-ups that will allow you to give it a whirl.

Dark Clothes Aren't Illegal

There was a person on a bicycle hit by a car the evening of 9 January 2018 down in southern Maryland. "Witnesses said the cyclist was wearing dark clothing and bike did not have any lights or reflectors on it"

Now it was dark and by Maryland law bicycles operating at night are required to have a white light up front and a reflector or red light in the rear. Pretty clear, pretty basic, and pretty common sense. I've often commented on the 'stealth bikers' that I see riding at 5AM on their way to work or other places. Lights - dude should have had lights on his whip - plain and simple...but dark clothes...lets think about that for a minute or two.

Back to the article - I scrolled down to the comments - always bad move and saw things like:

• "They choose to wear dark clothes, enabling them to fade into the shadows…making them harder to see before and after committing illegal acts."
• "That’s what they get for not wearing reflective gear"

"They choose to wear dark clothes, enabling them to fade into the shadows…making them harder to see before and after committing illegal acts." - That's cute. I wonder who "they" are.... 

Now back to dark clothes - Seriously? I cracked open the Maryland Traffic code and went to the section that talks about bicycles and pedestrians - and you know what there's nothing in there that says I have to wear light colored, reflective clothing to ride my bicycle at night...same for walking at a night.  

Then I looked down at what I was wearing as I walked into work at 6AM...Dark pants, dark jacket and dark hat - Cause it's cold, yo! 

Then I looked around to see what everyone else was wearing - dark pants, dark jackets and dark hats. Holy Shit - it was like the aliens had come down and dressed us all in dark. Fucking E.T. 

Maybe it was just where I worked - you know because I work with a bunch of dark, soulless people. So I went be-bopping into the Target - cause I'm classy. Lo and behold - everyone was wearing dark clothes and dark jackets.  So I wandered back to the clothing department and started looking at jackets. Dark colors abounded - everywhere.  Dark, Dark, Dark.  Hmmmm. 

Now to be honest, when I ride at night, I wear a bright colored jacket that has reflective stuff. However, the reality is there are lots of folks out there - especially people that are just riding their bikes to/from work - that can't afford to go get a cycling specific jacket that's bright and reflective.

Hell, go down to the store and look at jackets, coats, clothing, etc suitable for working. How much is brightly colored? reflective? 

The other reality is that too many people are driving their car whilst doing other things - texting, yakking on their cellphone, face-timing, giving themselves a clipper cut, shaving, drinking booze, smoking dope, etc....but you're going to say somebody deserves to die because he was wearing blue jeans and a gray t-shirt? 

Show Me The Good Stuff

Lots of good things happened in 2017 in Anne Arundel County. The great volunteers associated with BikeAAA, the Anne Arundel Bicycle Advisory Commission, the Bacon Ridge Project, M.O.R.E. and Bike Maryland are killing it as usual. Anne Arundel County hired their first-ever County Bicycle / Pedestrian Transportation Planner. The County is poised for greatness due to the efforts of some great people doing great things.

Some of the things, I'd like highlight: 

• Anne Arundel county's first County Bicycle / Pedestrian Transportation Planner
• Anne Arundel Medical Center was named the county's FIRST Bike Friendly Business
• More Bike Lanes on County Roads - went from one road with markings to five roads
• Construction funding was secured for the WB&A Trail Bridge over the Patuxent
• Increased funding for the Broadneck Trail
• Increased funding for the South Shore Trail
• Construction started in support of the next phase of the South Shore Trail 
• Additional Shared Use Paths along MD175 next to Fort Meade
• Fort Meade fixed the lingering problem with the Pepper Road Bicycle Gate
• Yep - Fort Meade has a gate just for bicycles
• Fort Meade increased the days and hours for folks to get Pepper Road Gate access cards
• New County Policy for adding bike lanes to County roads with wide shouldered roads
• BikeAAA worked with Annapolis to add more bike parking to downtown Annapolis
• Lifeline 100 grew again this year - more riders, more money raised, more fun

Bacon Ridge - Bacon Ridge - Bacon Ridge. Some of you know I'm not allowed to ride in the woods due certain issues between me and an unnamed tree at Patapsco State Park. My spousal unit banned me from Mountain Biking. So if anyone asks - I heard this from a friend. 

Now Bacon Ridge is an excellent area to ride and the volunteers have done an excellent job. They've laid out some excellent routes and the built some awesome trails. If you've not been there for a trail building day go on out and give it a whirl. Doesn't matter if you're a roadie - they'll hug and grab your butt like a regular Mountain Biker ;)  

Bacon Ridge built more trail in 2017 AND laid out the route for 11 more miles of proposed trail. Want to help fund Bacon Ridge just drop by M.O.R.E.'s Bacon Ridge Donation Page. 

Lastly, Bike Maryland was instrumental in pushing forward bike friendly legislation in 2017 and they're leading the charge in 2018. They'll need all our help to make this a successful legislative season. 

2017 Bicycle Fatalities in Review

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