Traffic Safety

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.

Traffic Safety

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

*Data for 2021 are preliminary and subject to change.
Source: Transportation Injury Mapping System and California Department of Finance Population Estimates, Table E-2

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

Data for 2019 are preliminary and subject to change.

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

Source: Transportation Injury Mapping System data compiled by San Bernardino County Transportation Authority and California Department of Finance Population Estimates, Table E-2

BICYCLIST INJURIES AND DEATHS INCREASE SLIGHTLY IN 2021

Bicyclists Injured or Killed in Vehicle Collisions by Age in San Bernardino County, 2014-2021

* Data for 2021 are preliminary and subject to change.

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

Source: Transportation Injury Mapping System data compiled by San Bernardino County Transportation Authority and California Department of Finance Population Estimates, Table E-2

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

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.