The thought of an inebriated bicyclist weaving down the road conjures up a funny picture, but statistics show that drunken bicycling is no laughing matter.
A recent New York Times blog report says a New York City study found over a 10-year-period that 21% of bicyclists killed in traffic crashes had alcohol in their bloodstream.
Data in a National Highway Transportation Safety Administration report (.PDF) is even more sobering: In 2007, nearly one-fourth of cyclists killed in traffic crashes had a blood alcohol content of .08% or higher.
Charges
If you're behind the wheel of a car, a .08 blood alcohol level will earn you a drunken driving charge in all 50 states.
The federal report goes on the say that alcohol — either by the motorist or bicyclist — was involved in more than one-third nation's 698 bicyclist fatalities in 2007; 33% involved amounts of .08 or more, while 10% involved amounts of .01 to .08.
A slogan by those trying to curb drunken driving is “Friends don't let friends drive drunk.” Perhaps the same should be said for bicyclists.
Walk it off
Next time your friend leaves s-faced from a party, maybe a suggestion to walk it off or take a bus is in order.
Wiley Norvell, a spokesman for Transportation Alternatives, a transit advocacy group, told the New York Times:
“It’s a no-brainer to be sober when you ride in New York City. Being alert and conscious of everyone else on the road is the best protection a bicyclist has, and biking while impaired makes our already dangerous streets an even greater risk.”
That sentiment probably goes for every city in America.
The data in the US report also notes that most bicycle fatalities — 72% — occur in urban areas. Also, the most frequent time period for bicycle fatalities is from 5 to 9 p.m. (26%).
Caveats
Norvell goes on to stress that it's difficult to tell whether alcohol abuse actually caused the crashes. The Times also notes a difficulty in determining alcohol level of the crash victims, as alcohol is metabolized over time.
Let's also note that alcohol-levels are impossible to determine for hit-and-run motorists.
Enforcement
Granted, drunken bicyclists are probably more a danger to themselves than others, but people using the roads can cause crashes that involve others.
While Poland may be going a little overboard for jailing 2,000 people an average 11.5 months for drunken bicycling, maybe some enforcement is necessary.
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