City Releases Crash Statistics: Mayor Proposes Mandatory Helmet Law

As a follow-up to City Councilor Ayanna Pressley’s hearing in December 2012, the City of Boston’s Crash Data Report has finally come out. You can find the report at the following URL: http://www.cityofboston.gov/news/uploads/16776_49_15_27.pdf.

highlights include this lovely opening from the Mayor.

Dear Fellow Bostonians,

During the summer and fall of 2012, our city experienced five fatal bicycle incidents that led to this report. Through detailed analysis of four years of police report data, City officials will have concrete information with which to make the roadways safer for vulnerable users. This document will help us smartly apply our resources to continue improving our streets using the “six E’s of bicycle planning”: Engineering, Education, Enforcement, Encouragement, Evaluation, and Equity.

Since the City of Boston bicycle program launched in 2007, we have gone from being called one of the worst cities for cycling in the country to one of the best. The addition of nearly 60 miles of on-street bicycle facilities, hundreds of new bike racks, and the overwhelmingly successful New Balance Hubway bike share program has brought cycling into the mainstream here in Boston. Boston is well on its way to becoming a world-class cycling city. The bicycle has become a critical part of our transportation system.

Boston streets are full of people commuting to work and school, families enjoying a weekend ride together, and every type of rider in-between. This spirited resurgence of the bicycle has placed our city streets in a time of transit ion, from one dependent upon cars, to one embracing more active transportation options. Transitions can be difficult.

The close-knit community among cyclists continues to impress me. When one member of the community suffers from a terrible incident, the degree of separation to all cyclists is not far. We must work tirelessly and collaboratively to continue improving the safety of our streets. This report will help guide the process of continuing to grow Boston’s vibrant bicycle community.

Sincerely,
Thomas M. Menino
Mayor, City of Boston

But what really seems to have some in a tizzy is the notion of a mandatory helmet law being proposed by the mayors office.

Helmets are very useful in reducing injury to your head AFTER the accident occurs. Having a helmet on will reduce your chances of getting brain damage once the car has run into you, but wont keep it from hitting you in the first place. Or from the street being full of pot holes, or from poorly designed intersections, or red light runners etc.

One can only assume at the behest of the Boston Public Health Commission. The BPH seems to be obsessed with helmets, something I (and many others) have disagreed with in the past.

The whole thing is full of statistics here is just a taste:

74% of people are already wearing helmets

21 is the age most likely to be in a crash

Most crashes happen at 5pm

The report is well worth a read, read it all here.  Leave your thoughts, findings, statistical analysis in the comments.

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Contact Your Mayor: Tell Em Put Bikes On The Agenda

The US Conference of Mayors is being held last weekend in Miami

http://usmayors.org/

Among the numerous resolutions being considered is bicycling

Resolution #4:
Ensuring Bicycling is Integrated into National Transportation, Climate, Energy and Health Policy Initiatives indicates that bicycling is in the national interest; encourages the development and implementation of a coordinated national bicycling strategy aimed to increase safe bicycle use as a mode of transportation and the development of federal transportation, environmental and public health policies that recognize increased and safe bicycle usage for transportation is in the national interest; urges Congress in the next federal transportation reauthorization to establish policies and funding mechanisms that will reduce the number of motor vehicle miles traveled (VMT), improve safety conditions for bicyclists, collect transportation and safety data needed to monitor progress and provide incentives for state and local governments to adopt and implement Complete Street policies designed to accommodate all users; urges Governors and state-level leadership, independent of new federal transportation legislation, to embrace Complete Streets policies that acknowledge the contributions of bicycles as a means to reduce vehicle miles by integrating bicycle use into standard street design; and calls on all mayors that sign onto the Climate Protection Agreement to develop and implement action plans to incorporate bicycling programs and policies as a key component in reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050, and that the U.S. Conference of Mayors encourages every mayor to strive to make their city a Bicycle Friendly Community

Call up your mayor and make sure they know you want them to support things like this.

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