Steady Upward Climb in Traffic Injuries and Fatalities
Traffic safety is an important element of a livable community that supports convenient and safe transportation choices including driving, transit, bicycling, and walking. Yet there are thousands of victims of traffic collisions each year, and many of those injuries or fatalities were potentially preventable. Factors that influence traffic safety include road design, posted traffic speed, road and sidewalk quality, and driver behaviors like speeding and driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. Distracted driving, biking, or walking may also contribute. 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.
How is San Bernardino County Doing?
TREND
There were 16,123 people injured or killed in vehicle collisions in San Bernardino County in 2019, a 6% increase from the previous year, and up a total of 35% since 2010.
INJURIES AND FATALITIES INCREASE FOLLOWING 2020 DECLINE
Victims Killed or Injured in Vehicle Collisions per 10,000 in San Bernardino County, 2014-2021
Bicyclists and pedestrians made up 5% of all traffic collision victims in 2019. Pedestrian injuries and fatalities were the highest reported since 2009, at 710 victims. This represents a one-year increase in pedestrian injuries and fatalities of 11%, and a 49% increase between 2010 and 2019. In contrast, bicyclist injuries and fatalities decreased, falling to 256 victims in 2019, a drop of 18% from the previous year.
PER CAPITA AND ABSOLUTE PEDESTRIAN DEATHS AND INJURIES ON THE RISE
Pedestrians Injured or Killed in Vehicle Collisions by Age in San Bernardino County, 2010-2019
BICYCLIST INJURIES AND DEATHS INCREASE SLIGHTLY IN 2021
Bicyclists Injured or Killed in Vehicle Collisions by Age in San Bernardino County, 2014-2021
RACE/ETHNICITY DETAIL
In 2018 in San Bernardino County, 434 Latino bicyclists or pedestrians were victims in a vehicle collision, compared to 298 White cyclists or pedestrians, 130 Black cyclists or pedestrians, and 17 Asian cyclists or pedestrians.1 While there were fewer Black cyclist and pedestrian victims than Latino and White cyclists and pedestrians, Black cyclists and pedestrians experienced the highest rate of victimization at 6.7 per 10,000 Black residents. These rates are calculated using the population of each race/ ethnic group, not the number in each group that walks or bicycles, which is unknown. Asian cyclists and pedestrians experienced the lowest rate of victimization at 1.1 per 10,000 Asian residents. The Equity Gap Score for bicyclist and pedestrian victims of traffic collisions was 6.3, which indicates that the group with the highest rate of injury or death (Black cyclists or pedestrians) was over six times higher than the group with the lowest rate of injury or death (Asian cyclists or pedestrians).
Equity Gap Score
6.3
VARIATION BY RACE/ETHNICITY IN RATE OF VICTIMIZATION
Bicyclists or Pedestrians Injured or Killed in Vehicle Collisions per 10,000 by Race/Ethnicity in San Bernardino County, 2018