Cyclists, Drivers, Blamed for Bike-Vehicle Crashes

But it turns out that bicyclists and drivers may be almost equally to blame.

A new study says bikers' actions contribute to 59 percent of the 270 bike-motor vehicle collisions that Minneapolis averages annually, compared to 64 percent for drivers. Sometimes the investigating officers judge both sides at fault.

The study finds that crashes often occur because drivers don't see or yield to bikes, or when bikers behave unpredictably by ignoring signals to stop or using bike lanes incorrectly. It urges that bikers and motorists receive even-handed enforcement.

The analysis of 10 years of crash data was presented to the Minneapolis City Council on Tuesday.