Why bike fatalities have increased

Last Wednesday, a little less than an hour after the Valley sun set at 8:06, 72-year-old McAllen resident Juan Cantu Silva was out for a bike ride when he and a car collided near the intersection of McColl and Jonquil Ave.

According to a McAllen PD report, the driver hit Silva while he was peddling down the road.

The driver stopped while police responded quickly to the scene of the accident. Silva was transported to an area hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

“The cause of the collision remains under investigation,” according to the McAllen PD.

An autopsy has been ordered as part of the ongoing investigation.

In the meantime, police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the accident to contact investigators — 956-681-2000.

Increase in Fatalities

According to the National Safety Council, the number of preventable deaths from bicycle transportation incidents increased 10 percent in 2022 and have increased 47 percent in the last 10 years (from 925 in 2013 to 1,360 in 2022).

In fact, 2022 proved to be the deadliest year for people riding a bike, which includes through at least April 2024. (Source: The League of American Bicyclists.)

Bicycle-related deaths peak in the warmer months, starting in July, and they remain high through October. In 2022, most deaths occurred in August (156) and the fewest in January.

According to bikeleague.com, there is no one answer as to why the number of bicycle fatalities has increased, but if one had to guess, texting while driving would have to be near the top of the list, although, that’s not been given as the cause for last week’s bike fatality.

The sad part of last week’s death involving 72-year-old Juan Cantu Silva is this simple fact: Here was a guy who was probably trying to stay active, in good health by exercising, had probably worked hard all his life, and it ends in his tragic demise.

So what can one take away from this sad loss?

With no disrespect intended toward the victim in this case, maybe cyclists would be safer riding a bike in better-lit conditions, not at night, choose to ride a bike on one of the city’s many hike-and-bike trails instead of the side of a road, and who knows what else?

Just a sad, tragic deal all around. Our condolences to Mr. Silva’s friends, family, and the local biking community in general.