The state of Texas reported 2,265 bicycle crashes in 2021, and if you run a query through Texas’s Crash Records Information System (CRIS), you find that 92 of these crashes occurred in Dallas. Based on its share of Texas’s population, Dallas was slightly safer for bicyclists than the state as a whole during that year.

Of course, that does not mean Dallas is completely safe. Most of the bicycle accidents in Dallas result from preventable causes, and the city has developed a bicycle master plan to increase bicycle infrastructure and make it safer for cyclists.

Dallas Bicycle Crash Statistics

In 2022, Dallas experienced 118 collisions between bicycles and motor vehicles, according to CRIS. For comparison, Dallas had 602 pedestrian accidents that year, which indicates that bicycling in Dallas is not as dangerous as walking.

Be that as it may, Dallas still accounted for 4.2% of all bicycle crashes in Texas in 2022, and since the city has 4.3% of the state’s population, that means Dallas just barely experienced fewer bike crashes than it should have had for its population share.

Bicycle Crash Outcomes

Bicycle crashes in Dallas caused the following outcomes:

  • Five fatal injuries that resulted in death within 30 days of the accident
  • 22 serious injuries that incapacitated the rider, requiring an ambulance
  • 47 minor injuries that caused a visible, though non-incapacitating, wound
  • 28 possible injuries that caused symptoms but no visible wounds

Only 15 cyclists walked away from their bike crashes unharmed, meaning over 87% of riders involved in Dallas bike accidents in 2022 suffered personal injury or death.

When Bicycle Crashes Happen

The number of crashes in 2022 rose and fell depending on the time of day. The peak time for bike accidents in Dallas occurred during the afternoon commute, with the most common time for bike accidents, according to CRIS, falling between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. The city also saw another minor peak between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.

In many cities, the most dangerous days to ride a bicycle are weekdays, but Dallas proved to be different, given that the riskiest day of the week for cyclists in Dallas was Saturday. Still, that could be a result of crashes occurring after an evening out on Friday into the early hours of Saturday morning.

Crashes peaked in the spring and fall seasons, with the most dangerous months to drive being May and September. Crashes fell in the summer and winter, with the fewest occurring in February and December.

Causes of Bicycle Crashes

The most common cause of bicycle crashes was a failure to yield the right of way. According to CRIS, nearly 28% of bike crashes in Dallas in 2022 transpired when a driver failed to yield to a cyclist.

In general, these accidents typically happen at an intersection when a driver fails to yield in the following situations:

  • A cyclist in a crosswalk (13 crashes in Dallas)
  • A bicycle approaching when turning left across the cyclist’s path (8 crashes)
  • A cyclist going by when pulling out of a driveway (7 crashes)
  • While stopped at a stopped sign to an approaching bicycle (3 crashes)
  • At an uncontrolled intersection, to a cyclist who arrived first (2 crashes)

Another common cause of bicycle accidents in Dallas was drivers failing to obey traffic lights. Seven bicyclists were hit by a red-light runner while lawfully crossing through an intersection. Four cyclists were hit by distracted drivers. Three were hit by speeders, and three more were hit by drivers making unsafe lane changes.

Where Bike Accidents Happen in Dallas

Bike accidents happened throughout Dallas, but a select few of the city’s roads and intersections were more dangerous than others.

Dangerous Intersections

CRIS reports indicate that, in 2022, just over 58% of bike crashes in Dallas occurred at intersections, and they were more likely to happen on congested streets near the city center. Some of the most dangerous intersections for cyclists in 2022 included the following:

  • Canton St. and Farmer’s Market Way
  • Market St. and Ross Ave.
  • Pearl St. and Ross Ave.
  • Indiana Blvd. and Crowdus St.

Main St. in Downtown Dallas was also dangerous for cyclists, particularly at its intersections with Good Latimer Expressway, Exposition Ave., and Field St.

Dangerous Roads

Dangerous roads for cyclists can include congested city streets where drivers can crowd bicyclists, but highways are also dangerous for cyclists, given the traffic’s high speeds. Some of Dallas’s most dangerous roads in 2022, according to CRIS, were as follows:

  • Main St.
  • Henderson Ave.
  • Columbia Ave.
  • Westmoreland Rd.
  • Campbell Rd.

The most dangerous road for cyclists was Main St., as it experienced six bicycle accidents in 2022, with three happening at its intersections and three more between them.

Dallas Bicycle Infrastructure

Dallas has an extensive bikeway system, and it recently updated its bike master plan, which connects neighborhoods with bikeways so riders can map routes to almost any destination.

The four types of bikeways in Dallas include:

  • Bike lanes that separate cyclists from vehicle traffic with painted lines
  • Protected bike lanes that protect bicyclists from vehicle traffic with barriers
  • Sharrows where bikes and vehicles share lanes with markings reminding drivers to share the road
  • Multi-use trails where traffic is limited to bicycles, pedestrians, and other non-motorized traffic

The city provides a bike map that illustrates the locations of the bikeways in the system, and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) facilitates cyclists by providing bike racks and bike storage areas on buses, light rail trains, and Trinity Railway Express (TRE) commuter trains.

Riding Your Bike Safely in Dallas

Riding safely in Dallas requires common sense and reasonable care. If you can plan your route using bikeways, you can avoid the shoulders of busy roads. You can download a current copy of the Dallas bike map online at the City of Dallas website. You can also take your bike on public transportation in Dallas, which can minimize your time on the roads during busy and dangerous commuting times.

Finally, make sure you always wear a bicycle helmet. The City of Dallas only requires children under 18 to wear helmets, but a helmet can significantly reduce your risk of head trauma or death. Dallas’s weather also allows you to ride throughout most of the year, so if you exercise caution and wear a helmet, you can do so safely.