There’s been an uptick in serious bicycle accidents in Connecticut this year.
Six bicyclists have died in Connecticut this year; that’s triple the 5-year average.
“Another 21 have suffered from serious injuries, and more than 100 have sustained minor injuries, and all those are higher than the average,” DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said. “Hospitals are raising the alarm and talking about the serious bike and e-bike injuries we're seeing across the state, particularly among young people.”
There was a 12-year-old on a minibike in Stamford early this month. A 33-year-old in Litchfield in July. And just this week, a man died when he fell off his e-bike in East Haven.
The issue is personal for Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz. Her brother was nearly killed in a hit-and-run while riding his bike in 2022.
“He was struck by a motorist who left him, and by the grace of God, a good Samaritan found him,” Bysiewicz said. “And after 18 surgeries, my brother is doing great. He's amazing. So that's why this topic is very, very important to me.”
Despite the uptick in cyclist fatalities, driver and pedestrian fatalities are way down in Connecticut.
Officials are reminding drivers to look out for people on their bikes and that cyclists wear helmets and pay attention while riding.
On October 1, a new state law will require e-bike riders younger than 17 to wear helmets, and motorcyclists younger than 21 will also have to wear one.