Local cyclists are looking for solutions to prevent road fatalities and accidents.

By Addison Martin

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With an uptick in bicycle crashes and fatalities in 2016, Iowa bicyclers are urging the state to make roads safer.

Nine people total have died on Iowa roads this year, the most recent fatality taking place on July 26 during this year’s RAGBRAI. With  the bike tour, warmer weather, and more bikers on the road, the need for more aware drivers has become critical.

Kevin McConnell, a manager of Geoff’s Bike and Ski, 816 S. Gilbert St., said distracted driving may be a prominent factor in what may be a reason that this year is particularly dangerous for bikers.

“I think cycling is growing as a sport, and anytime you have more people doing it, there is more of a probability of accidents happening,” he said. “I do have to think that some distracted driving seems to be a big thing.”

McConnell said some respect could fix the problem.

“It just has to be an understanding and patience, mutual respect between riders and drivers, between cyclists and motorists, respecting the laws of the road,” he said.

As the Iowa Bicycle Coalition’s petition for stricter driving laws states, 48 Iowans have died in crashes in the past 10 years. Half of the fatal crashes involve motor vehicles failing to yield when passing a bicycle. Usually, Iowans see three to five fatalities in bicycle and car crashes each year, but this season, nine deaths have bikers worried.

In addition to the spiked fatalities, Iowa’s consequences for the drivers in these accidents are not as harsh as some would like. Under current laws, drivers only face up to a $1,500 fine, rarely any jail time, and often no additional consequences.

Bob Wolff, the owner of Trail’s End Bike and Triathlon in Coralville, agrees distracted driving scares bikers the most and anyone else on the road.

“What would help would be making laws about texting and using smartphones while you’re driving,” he said. “I commute every day on Interstate 380, and I’m constantly seeing people using their smartphones; it’s a hazard not only to cyclists but everyone on the road.”

Wolff also said one thing bikers can do to help protect themselves is to be smart about what they wear while biking, especially in the dark.

“I wear safety clothes; I have a lime green shirt and lights on the bikes,” he said. “Cyclists who want to protect themselves can start wearing visibility clothes to help the drivers see them and also use their lights, both front and rear.”

Iowa City resident Jason Eness-Potter, who bikes as his main source of transportation, said he thinks basic science is behind a lot of why biking is so dangerous.

“The laws of man aren’t going to overpower the laws of physics,” he said. “I think basically the big problem is we have two different media of travel that operate at very different velocities and speeds. When you put those on the pathway, you’re going to have instances of danger.”

He also said he believes distracted driving could be a culprit, not only because of cellular devices but also from the cars themselves.

“When you look at your dashboard, there’s just so much more technology and so many more places for distraction,” he said. “We try to fill every moment up with entertainment, and it keeps our minds elsewhere, not on the road.”

When comparing Iowa City with other towns, Eness-Potter said he believes the best way to stop the fatalities is to create a separate roadway for bikes. He compares sharing the road to sharing the prairie with bison — it’s not an issue of awareness but one of size and spacing.

“I think it’s more of an infrastructure issue than a law issue,” he said.