PD: Bend bike crashes down so far this year

After 14 bike crashes in July, a new Bend police report shows bicycle accidents are actually down this year. There have been 38 crashes have been reported so far this year, compared to 53 at this time last year and 56 in 2011.

The month of July has the highest reported crashes during the year with 17 in 2012 and an all time high of 23 back in 2010.

Police say it’s good progress, and some local cyclists seem to agree.

David Marchi, owner of Crows Feet Commons, told us, “We take pride in being ‘Bike Town USA,’ and i think we have a lot of work to do.”

“And everybody is starting to recognize that, especially the city and the people on the city council,” Marchi added. “So hopefully there will be some positive steps to move forward, and creating more back paths and more usable biking spaces.”

Bend police say the crashes can be attributed almost equally to bicyclist error and cars failing to yield the right of way.