A report recently released by Chalat Hatten Banker Personal Injury Attorneys broke down when and where the most bicycle accidents take place in Denver, and it provides some interesting insight related to cycling safety.

Before diving into this report, it’s important to note that data set is based on the Denver Open Data Catalog, thus only accidents that result in a police report filed with the City and County of Denver are represented. Even still, some common trends can be seen. It’s also worth mentioning that the report is based on data related to 178 crashes that took place in 2024, not including data related to crashes of 2025.

One of the most apparent takeaways from the analysis is that the majority of crashes took place during typical morning and evening commute times, as well as around lunch. The time frames of 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. accounted for the most accidents. An obvious factor here is likely that more people on the road – both vehicles and cyclists – inherently means more accidents occur, though this is still an important reminder that safer cycling may occur outside of when traffic is swollen.

Also related to timing, September was when the highest number of accidents took place. Granted, given that September weather tends to be warm and more predictable compared to spring and summer months, that makes sense, as well – more people likely feel comfortable using a bike for transportation at this time of the year, with support for this also shown in how the vast majority of accidents occurred in dry conditions (about 96 percent).

The data analysis also touched on which days of the week accidents tend to occur the most, with Thursday ranking the highest, followed closely by Wednesday. Together, these two days accounted for about 37 percent of all accidents.

When it came to where accidents occur, there wasn’t really a ‘stand-out’ street or intersection, though it was noted that about 21 percent of accidents occurred while a vehicle was making a right turn opposed to about 10 percent of crashes involving a vehicle making a left turn. This data point makes sense, too, as left-turners tend to take longer than right-turners, thus allowing more time for a driver to see a cyclist and react. In fact, the leading contributing factor in regard to motor vehicle versus bicycle crashes involved the driver not seeing the cyclist.

The takeaways from this data are fairly obvious, seeming to point to how more people on the road means a greater likelihood of an accident, especially in scenarios when a driver may have a hard time seeing a bike.

In order to be a safer cyclist in the Denver area, try to avoid peak traffic times when people are commuting or heading out for lunch. Perhaps even more important – make an effort to be seen on the road. Utilize reflective gear, brightly-colored clothing, and lights (yes, even during daytime hours – there’s a good reason this practice is legally required for motorcyclists in Colorado). It’s also crucial for cyclists to look before a street is crossed, being on watch for vehicles that may not see the bike coming. Controlling speed is a key component of this – zipping across an intersection even if allowed may cause serious injury or death. Slow down, take in the scene, and ensure it’s safe to cross.

The report from Chalat Hatten Banker Personal Injury Attorneys includes a more in-depth look at all of this data. Find it here.

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