Where America Rides Safely, And Where It Doesn’t

In the United States, study data suggest that bicyclist deaths increased significantly between 2022 and 2023, from 1,096 to 1,155 (this despite overall traffic death rates falling during the same period). Since an all-time reported low of 623 in 2010, the new figure represents an 87% increase in bicyclist deaths during the intervening period.

In anticipation of National Bike Week in May, this study will consider where America rides safely, and where it doesn’t. We’ll look at the states that feature the most bicyclist deaths, as well as the biggest fatality percentage rises, and we’ll look at age group differentials regarding the fatalities.

We’ll also uncover the rate of bicyclist commuter fatalities, the role alcohol plays, and why National Bike Week is dangerous. But let’s begin with some broad statistics.

Bicycle Fatalities in the U.S.: Key Statistics

According to CDC data, annual U.S. bicyclist deaths (over 1,000) and accidents (around 130,000) represent $23 billion in total costs: that’s medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, lost household work, lost quality of life, legal expenses, and associated insurance costs. And study data tells us that the costs to life are also growing. 

Generally, in recent years, bicycle road fatalities have been on the rise.

More broadly speaking, since 1975, bicyclist deaths involving riders aged 20 and older have increased 15% (a time during which far more male than female bicyclists were fatality victims), and have increased 86% since reaching a low point in 2010. Additionally, deaths of bicyclists aged 20 and older were proportionately more likely to occur on major roads (not including interstates and freeways) compared to under-20 bicyclist fatalities (66% vs. 55%).

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the vast majority of bicyclist deaths in 2023 (90%) were of people aged 20 and older. And yet, despite a huge comparative improvement in youth cyclist death rates, young cyclists do still die in significant numbers across the United States.

U.S. Bicyclist Fatalities by Age

In 2024 in the U.S., just under 6% of people killed while bicycling were 15 or younger. 50% were between 16 and 54 years old, with 44% 55 and older.

Of the 6% of young cyclist fatalities, if we consider raw fatality numbers between 2019 and 2023, busy metro areas such as Florida, California, and Texas post the highest overall numbers. Yet if we also factor in the fatality rate per 100,000 of the population, the danger picture becomes much more complicated. Florida is still ranked at the top of the list, but smaller, rural areas like Utah and Idaho are also revealed as highly dangerous for cyclists.

States with the Most Bicyclist Fatalities Under the Age of 15 by Fatality Rate (2019-2023)

When we use the same per capita measure regarding fatalities involving bicyclists aged between 16 and 54, a similar pattern emerges. Busy, populous metro areas such as Florida again rank highest for raw fatality numbers.

But using a per capita measure, Louisiana, which is comparatively small and which does not feature on the under-15s fatality list, edges out Florida to take top spot in the rankings. This is due to a combination of factors: high-speed rural roads, a lack of dedicated bicycle lanes and bike-friendly infrastructure in more built-up areas, and relatively slow emergency response times.

States with the Most Bicyclist Fatalities Aged 16-54 by Fatality Rate (2019-2023)

For the same reasons as previously outlined, Louisiana once again takes a prominent place in the rankings for fatalities involving bicyclists aged 55 and over.

In this case, Florida, which features a significant over-55 population, takes top spot. But when we measure fatalities by population, the list combines both busy metro and rural or low-population areas. 

States with the Most Bicyclist Fatalities Aged 55+ by Fatality Rate (2019-2023)

In terms of the overall bicycle fatality picture, the following map clearly illustrates the state differential when we consider the data between 2019 and 2023.

This table reveals state bicycle fatality levels by age group, and includes the differential between 2014-2018 data and the 2019-2023 dataset.

In terms of the states at the safer end of the bicycle fatality spectrum, here are the ten that saw the lowest number of fatalities during the study period.

States with the Lowest Bicycle Fatality Rates (2019-2023)

For these states, it’s no accident that their fatality rates are so low. For one thing, the states in question feature comparatively low populations. But other key factors are keeping the numbers down. 

The likes of Vermont and Nebraska (joint-second on the list with a rate of 0.46 bicycle fatalities per 100,000 of the population) have invested heavily in protected bike lanes, traffic-calming measures, and cyclist-friendly urban planning.

Research consistently shows that specific, separated bike lanes reduce cyclist fatalities by up to 90% in high-traffic areas. And when a state or a city incorporates bike-friendly features, it can be of massive benefit to commuting cyclists.

Bicycle Commuters and Bike To Work Week

For many cyclists, their bike is their means of getting to work. One key part of the extended annual U.S. event ‘National Bike Month’ (which runs every May) is ‘Bike to Work Week’ (which runs May 11 to 17). While this is a great means of getting people on their bikes as opposed to in their cars, it also coincides with a particularly dangerous window for bicyclists.  

According to NHTSA fatality data and US Census figures, the national average state fatality rate between March and May is an elevated 3.22 people per 10,000 bicycle commuters, with 15 states exceeding this rate.

Massachusetts, just outside the top ten for raw fatality figures but the safest state for spring commuters by this measure, recorded 0.37 fatalities per 10,000 commuters. For many states, ‘Bike to Work Week’ is especially dangerous, since it arrives at the peak of the high-risk spring window, when elevated numbers of cyclists hit the roads, and drivers struggle to adjust to the differential.

To emphasize the extent to which bicycle fatality numbers have proportionately risen during recent years, here’s a useful comparison between 2014-2018 and 2019-2023, which illustrates the level of the problem in the most extreme cases. The numbers beneath the yearly brackets represent the average number of fatalities per year.

States Subject To The Biggest % Change in Bicyclist Commuter Fatalities (2014-18 to 2019-23)

As the following data shows, after a Covid-related interruption to figures, the number of people commuting to work on their bicycles has steadily and consistently increased, with numbers expected to rise further. 

Number of Workers Biking to Work by Year

This clear increase in bicycling popularity means that – apart from associated health and environmental benefits – there are more bicyclists now on the road than for many years, increasing the danger level, especially in states with clear safety issues.

And it’s not merely a matter of rising numbers of commuting bicyclists: National Household Travel Survey estimates suggest that of the 2.2 billion bike trips Americans took in 2022, 52% were for social or recreational reasons.

Ultimately, whatever the reasons, more people cycling on the same often unsafe or unsuitable roads means annual fatality rates will continue to climb without any infrastructural changes.

When we consider bicyclist safety, we also need to consider biker behavior. In a significant number of cases, bicyclists involved in a fatal accident are compromised by alcohol.

The Role Of Alcohol in Bicycle Fatality Numbers

Study data tells us that, of 25,428 bicyclist fatalities in the U.S. between 1982 and 2023, 6,157 bicyclists had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher.

The following five years listed featured the highest number of alcohol-related bicycle fatalities within the 1982-2023 study period. In each case, a minimum 19% of all fatalities featured a cyclist riding whilst over the legal alcohol limit, figures that prompt fair questions about their role in the accident.

Conversely, the five years featuring the least amount of alcohol related bicycle fatalities were as follows. The fatality percentage rate remains fairly consistent with more contemporary figures, suggesting a steady risk-rate for bicyclists over the limit.

Beyond the potentially fatal role of alcohol, specific times of day represent elevated crash risk for bicyclists. The times in question are all beyond 6 pm, suggesting a high number of accidents coinciding with heavy commuter traffic, lower visibility, and periods synonymous with elevated numbers of drunk drivers.

Highest Number of Hourly Fatalities

As a comparison, here are the hours during which bicyclists are least at risk on U.S. roads.

Lowest Number of Hourly Fatalities

Of the 5,020 fatalities recorded between 2019 and 2023, most happened on a weekday (3,141) compared to the weekend (1,871), while 8 fatalities were listed as time indeterminate.

And drivers on roads at all times of day might be more inclined to slow down if they understood the incremental increase in risk to bicyclist safety. Here’s the perfect illustration of the diminishing likelihood of a bicyclist withstanding a crash at rising speeds.

During the study period, 9% of all bicyclist fatalities (9,154) were due to an impact from a speeding vehicle.

School Zones

Between 2019 and 2023, while only 6 bicyclists were reportedly killed going to or from school, there were 31 reports of fatalities occurring in a school zone.

Here’s a breakdown of those fatality numbers.

The following states suffered the highest number of school zone fatalities.

According to study data, California’s high school zone bicyclist fatality rate is partly due to the unregulated use of e-bikes around school zones.

Aside from the states featured in the ranking list, Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Texas, and Washington were all subject to one school zone bicyclist fatality.

How To Make Bicycling Safer As Road Numbers Rise

In the United States, people are taking to their bicycles in increasing numbers. After a brief lull during the Covid era, the number of people using their bikes to get to work, and for more purely recreational reasons, has steadily and consistently risen. Yet growing danger to bicyclists has coincided with rising bicycling popularity: study data suggests an 87% increase in bicyclist road fatalities since 2010.

There are good reasons for the increase in danger. More bicyclists on the road means a higher likelihood of an accident, especially in busy metro areas.

But many states – including those with low overall fatality numbers but a high per-capita fatality rate – are also comparatively less bicycle-friendly, and are yet to incorporate features such as separate bike lines (which increase safety levels by 89%), city-area readjustments, and traffic-calming measures with pedestrians and cyclists in mind.

These would clearly help to prevent countless injuries and fatalities. As things stand, the likes of South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming lead by example, with low bicyclist fatality rates and bike-friendly city and town environments.

For many states, ‘Bike to Work Week’ is especially dangerous, since it arrives at the peak of the high–risk spring window

Whatever the circumstances or road infrastructure conditions, drivers should be mindful of the devastating effects of a collision with a biker at even modest speeds, with the threat rapidly rising with every added mile per hour. At 32mph, a bicyclist hit by a car has a 25% likelihood of causing a fatality. At just 10mph more, that figure rises to 50%, and a further added 8mph puts the figure at a shocking 75%.

There are also clear safety guidelines that, if more bicyclists followed them, would make a huge and immediate difference to fatality figures. For example, head injuries are the most frequent type of injury suffered during a bike accident, from contusions to traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

A bicyclist can reduce the severity of a head injury by 85% by wearing a helmet. Yet studies show that just 20% of bikers aged between 20 and 64 regularly wear one.

A bicyclist can also limit the likelihood of being involved in a fatal crash by avoiding alcohol consumption before commandeering their bike. In a minimum of 19% of cases each year, a bicyclist involved in a fatal crash was over the legal alcohol limit,

With National Bike Week on the horizon, many cities will fare poorly when it comes to bicyclist safety during what’s traditionally a dangerous window, right at the end of spring.

Yet in future years, with the right infrastructure changes made to areas currently struggling, the rise in bicycling popularity needn’t coincide with a continuing rise in bicycling fatalities.

If you were struck by a car while riding your bike, you may have picked up some painful injuries and lost plenty of time. A H&P Law bicycle accident lawyer in Las Vegas can answer any questions you might have to help you understand what comes next and what your rights are after a serious crash.