Redding is California’s Worst City for Bicyclist Safety

In a new Wall Street Journal report, the city of Redding was ranked one of the worst cities in the nation for bicyclist fatalities. Using NHTSA data between 2007 and 2016, study authors found that Redding had a bicyclist fatality rate of 7.8 per 100,000 people.

The only other Golden State city that came close to Redding’s number was nearby Yuba City with 6.5 fatalities per 100,000 people. Other major Californian cities that performed poorly on the Wall Street Journal’s survey include Sacramento (4.8), Riverside-San Bernardino (3.3), Los Angeles (2.8), and San Jose (2.8).

Bike safety advocates at Redding’s Shasta Living Streets say they weren’t surprised by these figures. Shasta Living Streets representatives note, however, that they are actively working on improving the situation for Redding’s bicyclists.

One of Shasta Living Streets’ main goals is to create larger bike-protected lanes with barriers between bicyclists and motorists. Unfortunately, members of Shasta Living Streets don’t foresee city officials creating these lanes anytime soon.

While Shasta Living Streets works with Redding officials, road safety experts suggest all cyclists wear highly visible colors, especially at night. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highly recommends cyclists wear DOT-approved helmets.

Overall, California was the fifth worst performing state for cyclist safety with an average of 3.1 fatalities per 100,000 people. From number one to four, the most dangerous states for bicyclists are Florida, Louisiana, Arizona, and South Carolina.

Anyone interested in reading The Wall Street Journal’s full report can find it on this link.

To learn more about Shasta Living Streets’ initiatives, please visit their website at http://shastalivingstreets.org/. You could also follow Shasta Living Streets on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.