You’re probably already surprised by the headline and thinking, safer compared to what? After all, South Florida isn’t exactly known as the safest place to be getting around no matter how you choose to do it. When it comes to biking, we don’t have a great reputation for safety to say that least. However, several local governments have gone out of their way to improve the ability to bike around town and we’re seeing the difference.
The League of American Bicyclists rate cities and counties for bike safety annually. Over the past year, 11 in Florida have been recognized as Bicycle Friendly. Five are in South Florida: Boca Raton, Key Biscayne, Miami, and Weston. Broward County as a whole for the counties works to accommodate bicyclists. The progress is notable.
Statewide Florida had an 11% decline in bicycle deaths in 2019 and in South Florida a 32% decline. You’re now 45% less likely to be killed in a bicycle crash compared to the rest of the state. It’s clear that the effort to improve the landscape for bicycles in South Florida is working. If you’re inclined to bike around town it’s the safest it’s been since the state started keeping these records.
A good weekend for us is often when we don’t have to get in a car and that’s because we love to bike around town. More communities are providing for the opportunity to safely do so. I’d encourage you to give it a try.
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