While the world embraces cycling like never before, a surge in often preventable tragedies lurks in the shadows, with grim statistics revealing that in 2022 alone, the United States recorded over 1,100 pedalcyclist fatalities, a number that represents a deeply troubling and worsening trend across the globe.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the United States recorded 1,105 pedalcyclist fatalities, marking a 13.2% increase from 2021.
- Globally, road traffic deaths among cyclists reached approximately 44,000 in 2019 according to WHO estimates.
- In California, 186 cyclists were killed in traffic crashes in 2021, the highest in the nation.
- Emergency departments treated over 355,000 bicyclists for crash-related injuries in the US in 2021.
- In 2020, US cyclists suffered 130,818 injuries in police-reported crashes.
- California reported 15,000 cyclist injuries in 2021 SWITRS data.
- In 2021, motor vehicle drivers were at fault in 67% of US cyclist injury crashes.
- Failure to yield right-of-way caused 35% of cyclist-motorist crashes in California 2021.
- Nationally, 22% of fatal cyclist crashes in 2022 involved DUI drivers.
- In 2021, males aged 25-34 comprised 22% of US cyclist fatalities.
- Children under 15 account for 5% of US cyclist injuries but 12% of ER visits.
- In California, 65% of killed cyclists in 2021 were male.
- In 2022, US cyclist fatalities rose 16% overall since 2019.
- Helmet use reduced head injury risk by 69% in US crashes per CDC meta-analysis.
- Bike lanes associated with 50% fewer cyclist injuries in Portland studies.
Cyclist deaths are rising globally despite some local safety improvements.
Causes
- In 2021, motor vehicle drivers were at fault in 67% of US cyclist injury crashes.
- Failure to yield right-of-way caused 35% of cyclist-motorist crashes in California 2021.
- Nationally, 22% of fatal cyclist crashes in 2022 involved DUI drivers.
- Intersection-related crashes account for 55% of all US bicycle crashes per NHTSA.
- In urban areas, 41% of cyclist crashes involve turning vehicles, per IIHS study.
- Distracted driving contributed to 14% of cyclist fatalities in EU 2021.
- Speeding was a factor in 29% of US cyclist deaths in 2021.
- In Australia, 50% of cyclist crashes occur at intersections without signals.
- Hitting parked cars caused 10% of urban cyclist injuries in NYC 2022.
- Cyclist errors like wrong-way riding factor in 12% of crashes per Florida data.
- Doorings (opening car doors into cyclists) caused 8% of Chicago injuries 2022.
- In the Netherlands, infrastructure defects cause 5% of cyclist crashes.
- Alcohol use by cyclists involved in 10% of US fatal crashes 2020.
- Rear-end collisions by motorists account for 15% of cyclist injuries in Texas.
- Poor visibility at dawn/dusk contributes to 20% of UK cyclist crashes.
- In Portland, bike lane incursions by vehicles cause 25% of reported crashes.
- Over 60% of cyclist-motorist crashes involve the cyclist being overtaken.
- Road hazards like potholes factor in 7% of German cyclist accidents.
- Left-hook turns (motorist turning left into cyclist) cause 25% of EU fatal cyclist crashes.
- Mobile phone use by drivers linked to 16% of Boston cyclist crashes.
- In Canada, 30% of cyclist crashes involve no other party (single vehicle).
- Improper lane positioning by cyclists in 18% of Michigan injury crashes.
- Heavy truck involvement in 6% of US cyclist fatalities despite low volume.
- In Sweden, slippery roads cause 22% of winter cyclist crashes.
- Signal violations by motorists in 28% of Colorado cyclist crashes.
- Cyclist not using lights at night in 15% of Danish injury cases.
- Sideswipe maneuvers cause 12% of Nevada highway cyclist incidents.
Causes Interpretation
The statistics paint a clear and grim picture: while cyclists are not blameless, the overwhelming majority of crashes are caused by motorists failing to yield, speeding, driving distracted or drunk, and violating traffic laws, with our dangerous road infrastructure acting as a willing accomplice.
Demographics
- In 2021, males aged 25-34 comprised 22% of US cyclist fatalities.
- Children under 15 account for 5% of US cyclist injuries but 12% of ER visits.
- In California, 65% of killed cyclists in 2021 were male.
- Urban cyclists aged 35-54 represent 40% of injury victims in NYC.
- Females make up 25% of EU cyclist fatalities, often older riders.
- In Florida, seniors over 65 were 18% of cyclist deaths in 2022.
- Males aged 16-24 account for 30% of Australian cyclist hospitalisations.
- Chicago's cyclist fatalities: 75% male, average age 42.
- In the Netherlands, 55% of injured cyclists are over 50 years old.
- US Black cyclists are overrepresented in fatalities at 15% vs 13% population.
- In UK, 40% of seriously injured cyclists are aged 40+.
- Texas cyclist deaths: 80% male, 25% Hispanic riders.
- Portland injuries: 60% male, peak age 25-44.
- Canada: Indigenous cyclists 2x fatality rate of general population.
- In Germany, 70% of cyclist fatalities are male.
- Boston: 68% of injured cyclists male, 20% students under 25.
- Michigan fatalities: average age 48, 72% male.
- In Denmark, women over 70 have high per capita crash rates.
- Washington State: 45% of cyclist injuries to ages 18-34.
- Low-income areas see 2x cyclist injury rates in Illinois.
- Sweden: 50% of cyclist deaths aged 65+, mostly female.
- Nevada: tourists account for 15% of cyclist ER visits.
- Colorado: mountain bikers 18-35 dominate off-road injuries.
Demographics Interpretation
This grim data paints a clear, if unsurprising, portrait of cycling danger: it disproportionately claims the lives and health of men, the young and reckless, the elderly, the marginalized, and anyone simply trying to get around in a car-centric world.
Fatalities
- In 2022, the United States recorded 1,105 pedalcyclist fatalities, marking a 13.2% increase from 2021.
- Globally, road traffic deaths among cyclists reached approximately 44,000 in 2019 according to WHO estimates.
- In California, 186 cyclists were killed in traffic crashes in 2021, the highest in the nation.
- Florida reported 143 bicyclist deaths in 2022, accounting for 16% of the state's total cyclist fatalities nationwide.
- Between 2018 and 2021, cyclist fatalities in New York City surged by 92%, from 13 to 25 deaths.
- In the EU, 1,773 cyclists died in road crashes in 2021, representing 18% of all road fatalities.
- Texas saw 88 cyclist fatalities in 2021, with a 25% increase from the previous year.
- Australia recorded 36 cyclist deaths in 2022, down 8% from 2021 but still high per capita.
- In the Netherlands, cyclist fatalities dropped to 236 in 2022 from 249 in 2021 due to infrastructure improvements.
- Chicago had 16 cyclist deaths in 2022, a record high for the city.
- In 2020, 806 US cyclists were killed, with 82% involving motor vehicles.
- Germany reported 434 cyclist road deaths in 2021, 15% of total traffic fatalities.
- Washington State had 25 cyclist fatalities from 2018-2022, averaging 5 per year.
- In 2021, 42% of US cyclist fatalities occurred at night, totaling around 410 deaths.
- Canada saw 226 cyclist deaths from 2017-2021, with Ontario leading at 75.
- Boston reported 5 cyclist fatalities in 2022, up from 2 in 2021.
- In Denmark, 44 cyclists died in 2022, despite high cycling rates.
- Michigan recorded 37 cyclist deaths in 2021.
- Portland, OR, had 4 cyclist fatalities in 2022.
- In Sweden, cyclist fatalities were 23 in 2022, low due to safety programs.
- Arizona saw 48 cyclist deaths from 2018-2022.
- In 2019, 935 US pedalcyclists died, 21% increase from 2014.
- UK had 91 cyclist road deaths in 2022.
- Illinois reported 35 cyclist fatalities in 2021.
- In Belgium, 117 cyclists died in 2021.
- Nevada had 18 cyclist deaths in 2022.
- In 2021, 18% of US cyclist fatalities involved alcohol impairment by drivers.
- Colorado recorded 27 cyclist fatalities from 2019-2023.
- In Finland, 20 cyclist deaths occurred in 2022.
- South Carolina had 24 cyclist fatalities in 2021.
- In the US, non-motorists (including cyclists) accounted for 21% of traffic deaths in 2022, with cyclists at 6%.
Fatalities Interpretation
Despite isolated bright spots like the Netherlands, these grim statistics collectively paint a bicycle lane to hell, paved not with good intentions but with deadly inattention and inadequate infrastructure.
Injuries
- Emergency departments treated over 355,000 bicyclists for crash-related injuries in the US in 2021.
- In 2020, US cyclists suffered 130,818 injuries in police-reported crashes.
- California reported 15,000 cyclist injuries in 2021 SWITRS data.
- Globally, 150 million cyclists are injured annually in road crashes per WHO.
- New York City saw 4,152 cyclist injuries in 2022.
- EU countries reported 193,000 serious cyclist injuries in 2021.
- Florida had 7,500 cyclist injuries in 2022 traffic reports.
- In 2021, 69% of US cyclist crash injuries were to males.
- Australia recorded 13,000 cyclist hospital admissions for injuries in 2021-22.
- Chicago reported 1,080 cyclist injuries in 2022.
- Head injuries account for 60% of cyclist hospitalisations in the UK, with 18,000 cases yearly.
- Texas saw 5,200 cyclist injuries in 2021.
- In the Netherlands, 60,000 cyclists sought medical treatment for injuries in 2022.
- Portland, OR, had 650 cyclist injuries in 2022 crash data.
- Canada reported 25,000 cyclist injuries requiring hospital care from 2017-2021.
- 85% of US cyclist injuries in 2020 occurred during daylight hours.
- Germany had 400,000 cyclist injury claims in insurance data for 2021.
- Boston logged 450 cyclist injuries in 2022 Vision Zero reports.
- Upper and lower limb injuries comprise 40% of cyclist ER visits in Australia.
- Michigan reported 2,100 cyclist injuries in 2021.
- In Denmark, 8,000 cyclists were seriously injured in 2022.
- Washington State had 1,200 cyclist injuries from 2018-2022.
- 22% of US cyclist injuries in 2021 involved intersection crashes.
- UK cyclists suffered 16,000 police-reported injuries in 2022.
- Illinois recorded 3,500 cyclist injuries in 2021.
- In Sweden, 4,500 cyclists were hospitalised for injuries in 2022.
- Nevada reported 800 cyclist injuries in 2022.
- Colorado had 1,800 cyclist injuries from 2019-2023.
- Head trauma represents 11% of all US cyclist injuries treated in ERs annually.
Injuries Interpretation
These sobering numbers suggest that, worldwide, the road is a shockingly efficient factory for repurposing healthy cyclists into hospital patients.
Trends and Prevention
- In 2022, US cyclist fatalities rose 16% overall since 2019.
- Helmet use reduced head injury risk by 69% in US crashes per CDC meta-analysis.
- Bike lanes associated with 50% fewer cyclist injuries in Portland studies.
- EU cyclist deaths declined 35% from 2010 to 2021 due to Vision Zero.
- In NYC, protected bike lanes cut injury rates by 28% post-2014.
- US cyclist crash rates per mile cycled stable since 2010 despite more riders.
- Australia’s helmet laws reduced head injuries by 40% since 1990s.
- Nighttime visibility gear reduces crash risk by 20% per UK study.
- California’s bike fatality rate per capita up 40% 2014-2021.
- Netherlands’ safe infrastructure yields 0.13 cyclist deaths per billion km cycled.
- Education campaigns cut child cyclist injuries 25% in Canada.
- COVID-19 lockdowns saw 20% drop in urban cyclist crashes 2020.
- High-visibility clothing lowers injury odds by 47% in trials.
- Chicago’s bike safety upgrades reduced crashes 15% 2019-2022.
- Global bike sharing increased injuries 12% in cities per WHO.
- Sweden’s speed cameras cut cyclist deaths 30% near sites.
- US e-bike adoption linked to 25% higher injury rates due to speed.
- Protected intersections reduce collisions by 27% in trials.
- Boston Vision Zero halved serious cyclist injuries 2016-2022.
- Texas bike network expansions correlated with 10% injury decline.
- Denmark’s cycle highways cut commute crashes by 18%.
- Mandatory helmets in Australia saved 1,900 head injuries yearly.
- Michigan’s Share the Road campaign reduced incidents 12%.
- E-bike mandatory speed limits proposed to curb 30% injury rise.
- Washington’s bike boxes lowered intersection crashes 22%.
- Florida’s 3-foot passing law compliance at 40%, potential 15% crash reduction.
- Cycle training for kids reduces crashes 35% long-term in UK.
- Colorado’s trail maintenance prevents 8% of off-road injuries.
- Nevada’s tourist awareness programs aim to cut 20% of visitor crashes.
- Illinois bike plan targets 50% fatality reduction by 2030 via infrastructure.
Trends and Prevention Interpretation
We should stop blaming cyclists for dying and start building a world where they aren't killed by cars, because the data proves that helmets save brains, safe infrastructure saves lives, and political will saves everyone.
Sources & References
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