- Florida ranked as the most dangerous state for cyclists, with 8.44 fatal accidents per one million residents each year.
- Louisiana ranked the second most dangerous for cyclists, while Arizona ranked third.
- South Dakota ranked as the safest state for cyclists with 0.87 fatal accidents per one million residents each year.
A new study has identified Arizona as the third-most dangerous state for cyclists in the United States.
Personal injury lawyers Omega Law Group analyzed the latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to find the total number of fatal accidents involving pedal cyclists between 2019 and 2023 in each state. They then calculated the average number of crashes involving cyclists each year per one million residents.
The 10 most dangerous states for cyclists
| Rank | State | Total number of fatal motor vehicle crashes involving pedal cyclists (2019-2023) | Average number of yearly motor vehicle crashes involving pedal cyclists | Number of yearly fatal motor vehicle crashes involving pedal cyclists per million residents |
| 1. | Florida | 986 | 197 | 8.44 |
| 2. | Louisiana | 170 | 34 | 7.39 |
| 3. | Arizona | 200 | 40 | 5.28 |
| 4. | Delaware | 23 | 5 | 4.37 |
| 5. | Mississippi | 63 | 13 | 4.28 |
| 6. | South Carolina | 113 | 23 | 4.12 |
| 7. | Hawaii | 28 | 6 | 3.87 |
| 8. | California | 743 | 149 | 3.77 |
| 9. | New Mexico | 39 | 8 | 3.66 |
| 10. | Oregon | 73 | 15 | 3.42 |
Florida ranked as the most dangerous state for cyclists, with 8.44 fatal crashes each year per one million residents. In total, the state reported 986 fatal incidents that involved cyclists, an average of 197 incidents each year between 2019 and 2023.
Louisiana ranked as the second most dangerous, with 7.39 fatal crashes each year per one million residents. In total, the state reported 170 fatal incidents that involved cyclists, an average of 34 incidents each year.
Arizona ranked as the third most dangerous state for cyclists. The state reported 5.28 fatal crashes each year per one million residents, a total of 200 deaths over the five-year period.
Delaware (4.37) and Mississippi (4.28) take the fourth and fifth most dangerous spots, respectively.
South Dakota ranked as the safest state for cyclists, with just 0.87 fatal accidents per one million residents each year. Overall, the state recorded just four deaths involving cyclists over the five-year period.
A spokesperson for Omega Law Group, adds:
“According to our analysis, there were 5,074 fatal motor vehicle accidents involving a cyclist between 2019 and 2023 across the U.S, which is more than a thousand deaths per year on average.
“Additionally, weekends were found to be the most dangerous days to cycle, with Saturday and Sunday accounting for 31% of all cycling fatalities over the five-year period.
“Our state level insights provide insight as to where cycling safety initiatives could save the most lives, especially as more Americans are adopting cycling for commuting and exercise.”
