Bavaria 2024 road accident statistics: More fatal cycling accidents than ever before
Jan Timmermann
· 21.02.2025
In 2024, more cyclists died on the roads in Bavaria than ever before. 94 lives were lost due to the unsafe situation for cyclists on the roads. In the latest accident study, the Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad Club (ADFC) Bayern also tried to identify causes for the increased number of fatal accidents. However, the statistics do not reveal a clear main cause of accidents, but rather a general picture of fatal incidents involving cyclists in road traffic. Half of the cyclists killed, 47 people, were not involved in an accident. They died in falls and problems without the involvement of a second person. The ADFC suspects that route conditions, speed and the influence of alcohol are common causes of fatal cycling accidents. Across all types of traffic, Bavaria recorded 495 deaths on the roads last year. One in five road fatalities was travelling by bike.
The day on which the accident figures are published is a black day for us every year: even if - as was the case this year - the number of accidents in which cyclists were injured has fallen slightly, the number of people who lost their lives while cycling is high every year - this year, at 94, it is even higher than ever before! The fact that on average one or two people in Bavaria pay for cycling with their lives every week shows how urgent it is to expand a safe cycle path network and provide protection from ever larger and heavier motorised vehicles! - Bernadette Felsch, Chairwoman of ADFC Bayern
Deadly combination: old people on pedelecs
There is a noticeable age gap in the accident statistics. The proportion of cyclists killed on Bavarian roads in 2024 was significantly higher among older people than in other age groups. In specific figures, 67 of the 94 fatalities were over 65 years old. At the same time, almost half (42 people) were travelling on pedelecs. The ADFC therefore appeals to older people to be aware of the positive effects, but also the dangers of cycling. For example, anyone getting back on a pedelec after a long break from cycling should definitely be advised to take part in a cycling safety course. Other studies have not shown an increased risk of accidents for e-bike users. The combination of old people and pedelecs remains the most critical.
Bavarian accident statistics criticised
34,000 of the more than 240,000 ADFC members nationwide come from Bavaria. This makes the ADFC not only the largest organisation representing the interests of cyclists in Bavaria, but also in Germany and even worldwide. Politically, the ADFC is committed to the consistent promotion of cycling and regularly draws attention to dangers in road traffic. Based on its expertise, the ADFC also expresses clear criticism of the road accident statistics in Bavaria. In some cases, there are considerable gaps in the statistics and only a few conclusions can be drawn for accident prevention. For example, the official study does not record why exactly people fall off their bicycles and, in the case of third-party involvement, it remains unclear whether the cyclist or the other party involved in the accident was drunk.
Fewer cycling accidents
However, the traffic accident statistics for Bavaria 2024 also report positive news for cyclists. Overall, accidents involving cyclists fell slightly from 19,455 in the previous year to 19,207. The number of injuries fell more significantly from 18,154 in 2023 to 17,857 in 2024.
As a bicycle commuter, I am regularly on the road in Bavaria and am familiar with dicey situations. The expansion of safe cycle paths is a demand that has not been sufficiently heard by politicians for many years. The lobbying work of the automotive industry in Germany still has a lot of leverage. In view of the alarming number of deaths, it is all the more important to provide good information for cyclists. - Jan Timmermann, BIKE editor
Jan Timmermann
Editor
