Michigan reports fourth highest year for bicyclists struck by drivers

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – A new report from the Michigan State Police shows an increase in the number of bicyclists who were struck by a vehicle in the past five years.

With more people choosing to ride their bikes for exercise, transportation, or just for fun, the City of Lansing is working to raise awareness about bike safety laws.

Those laws are meant to protect bicyclists, people walking, and drivers.

Lansing’s Public Service Director, Andrew Kilpatrick, weighed in on how the new state police report highlights a growing concern for bike safety here in Mid-Michigan.

“We are definitely not seeing a decrease and that’s what we want to see.” Kilpatrick said, “So, we need to look at the reasons why they’re not decreasing.”

According to Kilpatrick, more bike lanes and more signage has helped reduce the number of bike versus car fatalities in Mid-Michigan, but said that the overall number of bike versus car incidents is still too high.

“Whether it’s distracted drivers or lack of facilities or lack of education and work to decrease that.”

City officials are working to keep bike riders, like Jim Detjen, safe on the roads. “I’m training for riding in the DALMAC.”

Detjen said while he’s out on this year’s weekend bicycle tour, safety is his number one priority. “We are just very cautious.”

“You notice, we have this bell, we have lights on the front and the back so people can see.” Detjen also said, “My helmet is pretty bright and we often will wear vests that are fluorescent so people can see us.”

Jeff Carek, with the League of Michigan Bicyclists, said his group worked with state lawmakers to create more protection for people on bikes.

“We pushed for and got a three-foot passing law passed in the State of Michigan.”

He said the law “basically states motor vehicle drivers are required to give three feet between the widest portion of their motor vehicle and the widest part of the bicyclist when they pass.”

Riders and drivers, Carek said, need to help each other make sure they make it home safe. “We need to let everybody know our intentions. We need to signal our turns.”

“We need to signal our stops and let everybody know what we are doing on the roadway.”

Kilpatrick said Lansing has added roughly two miles of bike facilities per year since 2022 and said they are in the process of updating the city’s walking and biking plan.

There were 24 bicycle fatalities in Michigan last year. In half of those cases, the rider was not wearing a helmet.

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