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percent) for more than half of <br />all crashes involving bicyclists. <br />This would indicate that, at <br />least in a rural context, <br />situations involving the <br />interaction of motorists and <br />bicyclists at speed along open <br />road are more dangerous for <br />bicyclists than at intersections, <br />where traffic is slower. <br />Light Conditions <br />In terms of the light conditions <br />at the time of a bicycle and <br />motor vehicle crash, more than 80 percent of crashes (28) occurred during daylight, with 1 crash, or 3 <br />percent, occurring at dusk, and five (5) crashes, or 15 percent, occurring at night on an unlighted <br />roadway. This is likely due the lower number of trips made by bicycle at night in rural Orange County. <br />Each of the crashes that occurred under dark conditions was a “Motorist Overtaking Bicyclist” crash, of <br />which two (2) resulted in a fatality. The remaining four (4) crashes all resulted in an injury. Crashes <br />occurring away from <br />intersections in dark <br />conditions were <br />particularly likely to <br />result in a more <br />severe injury. <br />Overall, this analysis <br />indicates certain <br />notable trends about <br />crashes involving <br />bicyclists in rural <br />areas of Orange <br />County. More likely <br />than not, bicycle <br />crashes will result in some kind of injury, are the result of a motorist overtaking the cyclist, and occur <br />away from intersections during daylight conditions. While intersection crash types are also notable for <br />their frequency, crashes involving overtaking vehicles on roadways without special features constitute <br />the most common bicycle crash during this time period. <br />Crash Map <br />Using the data provided by NCDOT, Orange County Transportation Planning staff prepared a map of all <br />bicycle crashes occurring in rural Orange County. Crashes that resulted in a fatality are indicated in red <br />0.0% <br />10.0% <br />20.0% <br />30.0% <br />40.0% <br />50.0% <br />Straight <br />- Grade <br />Straight <br />- Level <br />Straight <br />- <br />Hillcrest <br />Curve - <br />Grade <br />Curve - <br />Level <br />Curve - <br />Hillcrest <br />11 (32.4%) <br />14 (41.2%) <br />3 (8.8%) <br />1 (2.9%) <br />3 (8.8%) 2 (5.9%) <br />Roadway Character <br />0.0% <br />20.0% <br />40.0% <br />60.0% <br />80.0% <br />100.0% <br />DaylightDuskDark - Roadway <br />Not Lighted <br />28 (82.4%) <br />1 (2.9%) <br />5 (14.7%) <br />Light Condition <br />Daylight Dusk Dark - Roadway Not Lighted <br />54