Back-to-school season puts pedestrian and cyclist safety in focus
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As Cincinnati-area students head back to school, new data underscores the risks pedestrians and cyclists face on local roads.
Why it matters: Pedestrians and cyclists account for less than 2% of regional crashes but roughly 12% of those resulting in death or serious injury, according to the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments.
What they did: OKI's new Vulnerable Road User Crash Analysis examined pedestrian and bicycle crashes across the eight-county region from 2015-2024.
Threat level: Most pedestrian and cyclist crashes occurred from 3-8pm, overlapping with after-school hours as traffic increases and visibility declines around dusk.
By the numbers: Nearly 20% of pedestrian and cyclist crashes result in death or serious injury, versus about 2% of motor vehicle crashes overall.
- The region recorded 6,117 pedestrian crashes and 259 deaths over the decade, plus 1,727 bicycle crashes and 29 deaths.
The big picture: Overall traffic fatalities increased 11% from 2020 to 2024, even as serious injuries declined 6.4%, per OKI.
- Pedestrian and cyclist deaths peaked at 37 in 2023, while serious injuries peaked at 124 in 2022.
- Serious bicycle crashes have increased since the pandemic began, while serious pedestrian crashes remain above pre-pandemic levels.
Zoom in: The risks aren't evenly distributed. Areas with high shares of households without a vehicle contain 18% of the region's population but account for 42% of fatal and serious pedestrian and cyclist crashes.
What they're saying: "People walking and biking are involved in a small number of crashes, but the consequences are far more severe for them," Elizabeth Niese, OKI senior data analyst and the report's author, said in a news release.
Meanwhile: Busy arterial roads make up just 10% of road miles but account for roughly half of fatal and serious pedestrian and cyclist crashes.
- Better-lit roads had less severe nighttime crashes, the study found.
The bottom line: "Slowing traffic, improving lighting and investing in safer arterial roads — especially in communities that rely most on walking and transit — can significantly reduce serious injuries and deaths," Niese said.