Traffic Safety

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FEWER INJURIES OR FATALITIES AMONG DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS, BUT MORE AMONG CYCLISTS 

There are thousands of victims of traffic collisions each year in San Bernardino County, and many of those injuries or fatalities were potentially preventable. Factors that influence traffic safety include road design, posted speed limits, road and sidewalk quality, and driver behaviors like speeding, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and distracted driving. Reducing collisions requires interventions that support safety for everyone on the move, including drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and transit riders. Traffic safety data helps communities assess whether strategies to improve safety are having an impact. This indicator tracks the number of San Bernardino County victims of vehicle collisions per 10,000 residents and the number of pedestrians and bicyclists killed or injured in vehicle collisions by age and race/ethnicity. 

TREND

In San Bernardino County, there were 14,615 people injured or killed in vehicle collisions in 2024. The victims may include automobile drivers or passengers, cyclists, pedestrians, or some other party, such as equestrians or train passengers. This marks a 3% one-year decline in the absolute number of victims and a 1% 10-year decline. The per capita rate of victims declined by 4% since 2015.   

PER CAPITA RATE OF VICTIMS KILLED OR INJURED ON MODEST DOWNWARD TREND
Victims Killed or Injured in Vehicle Collisions per 10,000 in San Bernardino County, 2015-2024

*Data for 2023 and 2024 are preliminary and subject to change.

Source:  Transportation Injury Mapping System and California Department of Finance Population Estimates, Table E-2 

Since 2015, there has been a 2% increase in pedestrian-involved collisions and no change in cyclist-involved collisions.  Overall, cyclists and/or pedestrians were involved in 6% of all traffic collisions for the past three years (2022-2024).
Despite the increase in pedestrian-involved collisions, there have been fewer injuries or fatalities among pedestrians in recent years. Conversely, while the number of cyclist-involved collisions has remained relatively flat, injuries and fatalities among cyclists continue to rise, nearing or exceeding the 10-year high in 2015.  

PER CAPITA PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES AND INJURIES DECREASED IN 2023 AND 2024
Pedestrians Injured or Killed in Vehicle Collisions per 10,000 in San Bernardino County, 2015-2024

* Data for 2023 and 2024 are provisional and subject to change.

Source:  Transportation Injury Mapping System and California Department of Finance Population Estimates, Table E-2 

NUMBER OF PEDESTRIAN YOUTH VICTIMS REMAIN LOW
Pedestrians Injured or Killed in Vehicle Collisions by Age in San Bernardino County, 2015-2024

* Data for 2023 and 2024 are provisional and subject to change.

Note: Data for people ages 15 and over includes people whose age was unknown.

Source:  Transportation Injury Mapping System and California Department of Finance Population Estimates, Table E-2 

RATE OF CYCLIST VICTIMS CONTINUES TO INCREASE AFTER PANDEMIC-INDUCED LOW
Bicyclists Injured or Killed in Vehicle Collisions by per 10,000 in San Bernardino County, 2015-2024

* Data for 2023 and 2024 are provisional and subject to change.

Source:  Transportation Injury Mapping System and California Department of Finance Population Estimates, Table E-2 

NUMBER OF CYCLIST VICTIMS REACHES 10-YEAR HIGH
Bicyclists Injured or Killed in Vehicle Collisions by Age in San Bernardino County, 2015-2024

* Data for 2023 and 2024 are provisional and subject to change.

Note: Data for people ages 15 and over includes people whose age was unknown.

Source:  Transportation Injury Mapping System and California Department of Finance Population Estimates, Table E-2 

RACE/ETHNICITY DETAIL

In 2022 in San Bernardino County, 499 Latino or Hispanic bicyclists or pedestrians were victims in a vehicle collision, which accounts for 51% of all victims.  Nearly one-third (29%) of all cyclist or pedestrian victims were White (282), 14% were Black (135), and 2% were Asian (18). Other or Unknown race/ethnicity comprised the remainder of victims (5% or 52). In the accompanying chart, the distribution of the San Bernardino County population by race and ethnicity is shown for context. It is important to note for this indicator that the victimization rates do not account for the possibility of different levels of walking or cycling by race/ethnicity, which is unknown. 

LATINO CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS MAKE UP MAJORITY OF COLLISION VICTIMS
Race/Ethnicity Distribution of Bicyclists or Pedestrians Injured or Killed in Vehicle Collisions in San Bernardino County Compared to the Distribution of the San Bernardino County Population by Race/Ethnicity, 2022

Note: To understand the frequency of accidents for different racial or ethnic groups, the chart displays the number of pedestrian or cyclist victims from each racial or ethnic group as a percentage of all pedestrian and cyclist victims, compared to each race or ethnic group’s percentage of the overall population. For example, if 100 pedestrians or cyclists were victims in a vehicle collision, and 29 victims identify as White, 29% of the victims identify as White.  This can be compared to the share of the population that is White.  For example, if 29% of the victims were White, and 25% of the overall population are White, victims who identify as White are slightly overrepresented among victims.

Source: Transportation Injury Mapping System and California Department of Finance Population Projections, Table P-2D 

1Since 2019 data are preliminary, 2018 data were selected for the race/ethnicity detail analysis to improve accuracy.