Toronto has 3 times the injury rate of cyclists compared to the North American average

The exact reason why cycling is more dangerous in Toronto (per mile travelled) than elsewhere is not known for certain. An astonishing 20% of bicycle commuters in Toronto have told surveyors that they have suffered at least one traumatic accident during a one year study. Despite the risks …

On a typical weekday cyclists make up approximately 5% of all downtown traffic. On certain ‘feeder’ routes like Bloor Street West and Queen Street West, up to 25% of through-traffic is made up of cyclists. 10% of downtown area residents also use bicycles as their main mode of transport at some point during the year. Meanwhile within the larger Toronto region 2% of all transit is accounted for by cyclists – the highest in Canada.

Cyclists are disproportionally injured in collisions with motor vehicles

Although cyclists represent only 2% of all Toronto region commuters they account for 8% of all Toronto region collision-related personal injuries. They are similarly over-represented in traffic fatalities at 5% of the total. The annual number of personal injuries accounted for by cyclists has remained above the 1000-person mark for more than a decade.

The majority of cycling accidents are caused by motor vehicle drivers

Incidents of cyclist caused accidents (overtaking a vehicle, losing control, etc) are many times less responsible for serious injuries than are motor vehicle caused accidents (overtaking a cyclist, right-turn ahead of a cyclist, etc). The takeaway is that even a safe and reasonable cyclist is at risk of being harmed because of another’s neglect.

After collisions with motor vehicles, ‘dooring’ is the next biggest source of cycling accidents

‘Dooring’ is when a motor vehicle driver or passenger opens their door just as a cyclist is passing by. The resultant injuries are often very severe in such circumstances.

If you or a loved one has been in a cycling accident you can trust Tony Lafazanis to help you in your time of need.

Sources: http://www.sharetheroad.ca/files/Cycling_Safety_Overview___2012_12_05.pdf http://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_toronto/transportation_services/cycling/files/pdf/car-bike_collision_report.pdf