San Francisco provides a fantastic backdrop for any bicycle ride. Cyclists take to San Francisco streets to get a challenging workout, to travel to work or school, or for an outing with the family.
Unfortunately, San Francisco traffic levels and driver carelessness combine to put many riders in jeopardy each day. Even on routes like Valencia Street, with dedicated bike lanes, motorists still veer into lanes and pay too little attention when making turns to guarantee a cyclist’s safety.
To give San Francisco motorists a visual reminder of the hazards they can pose to cyclists, The Law Offices of Matthew J. Quinlan took the lead on an updated bicycle accident study. It’s a chance to examine where San Francisco currently stands on bicycle accident safety and the goals we need to set for the rest of 2024 and beyond.
How Many Bicycle Accidents Occur Each Year in San Francisco?
California’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) found that there has been an average of 416 serious bicycle accidents involving vehicles over the past 5 years.
Before the pandemic year of 2020, bicycle accident rates in San Francisco were extremely high. 2019 saw 551 bicycle accidents involving an injury and 2018 recorded 568. The rates have fallen since the pandemic. 2023 numbers compare favorably to pre-pandemic numbers. In 2023, there were 372 serious bicycle accidents, the lowest figure in five years.
Cyclists ride with little protection when compared to someone in a car or SUV. Riders may have helmets on, but once they are struck, their entire bodies are vulnerable to collisions with vehicles and with the road surface. The injuries suffered can easily become life-threatening.
San Francisco recorded 40 bicycle accidents involving serious injuries or death in 2023. According to California’s Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS), there were no bicycle accident deaths recorded in the city in 2023. Sadly, there were two tragic deaths in 2022.
According to the City of San Francisco’s website, as of August 2024, the city had been the scene of at least two fatal bicycle accidents for the year.
What S.F. Neighborhoods Have the Most Bicycle Accidents?
San Francisco cyclists already know the most dangerous sections of the city to ride in. They include the most congested parts of San Francisco. They also include some residential areas where families and their children ride on what are supposed to be safe neighborhood streets.
In 2024, The San Francisco Standard reported on the most dangerous neighborhoods for bicyclists in the city. The Mission District unsurprisingly documented the most bicycle accidents involving injuries from 2020 to 2023. SoMa placed second on the heartbreaking list.
Worst California Cities for Frightening Bicycle Accidents
Los Angeles recorded a discouraging 131 bicycle crashes involving serious injury or a fatality in 2023. It was the city with the most serious bicycle accidents in California. San Francisco came in second on that sad list (40) leading Sacramento, San Jose, and San Diego in the top five for California.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that California recorded 175 fatal bicycle accident deaths in 2022. That placed our state only behind Florida (215) on a list of the states with the highest fatalities for the year. Texas, New York, and Arizona rounded out the top 5.
San Francisco Bicycle Accidents by Days and Times
The most dangerous days to ride a bike in San Francisco were also easy to pinpoint when looking at the crash data. Accidents seemed to peak on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays in 2023. That’s according to TIMS data.
In 2023, 61 of San Francisco’s bicycle accidents involving injuries occurred on Saturdays.
The numbers more emphatically demonstrate the worst time of day for a bike ride in the City by the Bay. 101 of the bicycle crashes that occurred in San Francisco in 2023 took place between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Obviously, the afternoon rush hours contribute to this unfortunate statistic.
6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and noon to 3 p.m. also showed up as hazardous periods for anyone hopping on a bike and riding.
San Francisco’s Vision Zero Goals for 2024
San Francisco continues to work on its Vision Zero SF goal to reduce traffic injuries and deaths. This safety policy has helped cyclists enjoy improved traveling conditions across the city. The plan was mapped out to 2024, but there are already plans in the works to push ahead beyond the original finish line for Vision Zero.
A reduction in speed limits in Tenderloin and the addition of protected bike lanes are two changes to celebrate. Cyclists can also thank Vision Zero for John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park becoming a permanent car-free path.
Additional bike paths and some protected bike lanes are under consideration by the city. It’s hoped that these projects can help further reduce the risks San Francisco cyclists face.
A Word for Bicycle Accident Victims in San Francisco…
The Bike Accident Attorneys at The Law Offices of Matthew J. Quinlan are advocates for safe paths for all San Francisco cyclists.
If you or a loved one were hurt in a bicycle accident, you may have questions about the California laws and benefits that apply to your case. Please visit our page on what to do after a bicycle accident in San Francisco.
