Source: dot.state.fl.us
Based on research data gathered and compiled by Kory Northrup at the University of Oregon, the following ten states had the highest bicycle fatality rates in 2009, based on deaths per 10,000 cyclists.
- Mississippi – 100.5
- Delaware – 47.8
- Arkansas – 32.98
- Tennessee – 29.96
- Oklahoma – 25.22
- Georgia – 21.65
- Florida – 20.7
- South Carolina – 18.9
- Texas – 17.93
- Louisiana – 16.13
Congratulations to Kory for winning the Transportation Research Board’s national competition and for compiling this useful, albeit sobering data.
This weblink will connect to his project results, charts, and graphics.
problogic
Panethos 
Could this be due mainly to the fact that all of these states except Delaware and Oklahoma are in the South where cyclists ride year round?
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I suppose that may account for part of it, but many of us ride year round.
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Delaware is relatively mild and Oklahoma is arguably in the South, so I think you may be on to something.
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That does not account for the huge differences in the south between states, plus many of us bike commute year round in the north.
Shouldnt the hazardous weather conditions increase chances for accidents?
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hard to interpret
does this include kids?
this is basically [number of dead cyclists in a year]/[number of cyclists in a year]
so what is “[number of cyclists in a year]” ?
how do they define it, and how do they know it?
i can;t believe every state defines it the same way
or counts them in the same way
wle
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Does this include mountain bikers?
Introducing people, ESPECIALLY children, to mountain biking is CRIMINAL. Mountain biking, besides being expensive and very environmentally destructive, is extremely dangerous. Recently a 12-year-old girl DIED during her very first mountain biking lesson! Serious accidents and even deaths are commonplace. Truth be told, mountain bikers want to introduce kids to mountain biking because (1) they want more people to help them lobby to open our precious natural areas to mountain biking and (2) children are too naive to understand and object to this activity.
Bicycles should not be allowed in any natural area. They are inanimate objects and have no rights. There is also no right to mountain bike. That was settled in federal court in 1994: http://mjvande.nfshost.com/mtb10.htm . It’s dishonest of mountain bikers to say that they don’t have access to trails closed to bikes. They have EXACTLY the same access as everyone else — ON FOOT! Why isn’t that good enough for mountain bikers? They are all capable of walking….
A favorite myth of mountain bikers is that mountain biking is no more harmful to wildlife, people, and the environment than hiking, and that science supports that view. Of course, it’s not true. To settle the matter once and for all, I read all of the research they cited, and wrote a review of the research on mountain biking impacts (see http://mjvande.nfshost.com/scb7.htm ). I found that of the seven studies they cited, (1) all were written by mountain bikers, and (2) in every case, the authors misinterpreted their own data, in order to come to the conclusion that they favored. They also studiously avoided mentioning another scientific study (Wisdom et al) which did not favor mountain biking, and came to the opposite conclusions.
Those were all experimental studies. Two other studies (by White et al and by Jeff Marion) used a survey design, which is inherently incapable of answering that question (comparing hiking with mountain biking). I only mention them because mountain bikers often cite them, but scientifically, they are worthless.
Mountain biking accelerates erosion, creates V-shaped ruts, kills small animals and plants on and next to the trail, drives wildlife and other trail users out of the area, and, worst of all, teaches kids that the rough treatment of nature is okay (it’s NOT!). What’s good about THAT?
For more information: http://mjvande.nfshost.com/mtbfaq.htm .
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To my knowledge, it is bike commuters not mountain bikers.
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Recently a 12 year old girl died while crossing the street. Also, thanks for calling me and many of my friends “criminals” (yeah, we ride bikes in nature). Please keep making these off topic posts, they make mountain bikers seem a lot less crazy than folks like you.
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I can believe that Georgia is up there. I travel to Atlanta for work and I am almost afraid to be in a car there. People drive insane in that city and I would NEVER ride a bike on those streets.
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