Fatality Facts 2020Bicyclists
Overview
Each year about 2 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths are bicyclists. Although child bicyclist deaths have declined over the years, deaths among bicyclists age 20 and older have almost quadrupled since 1975.
In a majority of bicyclist deaths, the most serious injuries are to the head, highlighting the importance of wearing a bicycle helmet.
The following facts are based on analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
Posted May 2022.
Trends
A total of 932 bicyclists were killed in crashes with motor vehicles in 2020. This represents a 9 percent increase from the 856 bicyclist deaths that occurred in 2019. Although bicyclist deaths have decreased 7 percent since 1975, they have increased 50 percent since reaching their lowest point in 2010. Most bicyclist deaths in 2020 (88 percent) were those ages 20 and older. Deaths among bicyclists younger than 20 have declined 88 percent since 1975, while deaths among bicyclists 20 and older have almost quadrupled. In every year since 1975, many more male than female bicyclists were killed in crashes with motor vehicles. The decline since 1975 was far greater for females than for males (36 percent vs. 2 percent, respectively).
Bicyclist deaths by age and sex, 1975-2020
Bicyclist deaths by age and sex, 1975-2020 | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | <20 years | ≥20 years | Total* | |||||||
Males | Females | Males | Females | |||||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
1975 | 638 | 64 | 148 | 15 | 180 | 18 | 32 | 3 | 1,003 | 100 |
1976 | 568 | 62 | 130 | 14 | 180 | 20 | 33 | 4 | 914 | 100 |
1977 | 543 | 59 | 159 | 17 | 184 | 20 | 33 | 4 | 922 | 100 |
1978 | 531 | 60 | 140 | 16 | 182 | 20 | 37 | 4 | 892 | 100 |
1979 | 534 | 57 | 130 | 14 | 219 | 23 | 42 | 5 | 932 | 100 |
1980 | 511 | 53 | 132 | 14 | 268 | 28 | 49 | 5 | 965 | 100 |
1981 | 477 | 51 | 127 | 14 | 260 | 28 | 53 | 6 | 936 | 100 |
1982 | 428 | 50 | 91 | 11 | 288 | 33 | 52 | 6 | 864 | 100 |
1983 | 463 | 56 | 85 | 10 | 233 | 28 | 45 | 5 | 830 | 100 |
1984 | 405 | 48 | 98 | 12 | 268 | 32 | 53 | 6 | 838 | 100 |
1985 | 435 | 50 | 86 | 10 | 288 | 33 | 50 | 6 | 869 | 100 |
1986 | 459 | 49 | 85 | 9 | 322 | 35 | 54 | 6 | 929 | 100 |
1987 | 470 | 50 | 77 | 8 | 353 | 38 | 37 | 4 | 940 | 100 |
1988 | 415 | 46 | 75 | 8 | 353 | 39 | 52 | 6 | 901 | 100 |
1989 | 374 | 45 | 75 | 9 | 320 | 39 | 51 | 6 | 822 | 100 |
1990 | 319 | 37 | 56 | 7 | 403 | 47 | 65 | 8 | 853 | 100 |
1991 | 290 | 35 | 66 | 8 | 419 | 50 | 55 | 7 | 836 | 100 |
1992 | 290 | 40 | 51 | 7 | 335 | 47 | 39 | 5 | 717 | 100 |
1993 | 304 | 38 | 58 | 7 | 395 | 49 | 46 | 6 | 806 | 100 |
1994 | 293 | 37 | 61 | 8 | 387 | 49 | 48 | 6 | 796 | 100 |
1995 | 263 | 32 | 63 | 8 | 430 | 52 | 64 | 8 | 828 | 100 |
1996 | 246 | 32 | 52 | 7 | 402 | 53 | 55 | 7 | 761 | 100 |
1997 | 271 | 33 | 48 | 6 | 438 | 54 | 51 | 6 | 811 | 100 |
1998 | 235 | 31 | 41 | 5 | 421 | 56 | 58 | 8 | 757 | 100 |
1999 | 229 | 31 | 44 | 6 | 425 | 57 | 50 | 7 | 750 | 100 |
2000 | 201 | 29 | 30 | 4 | 410 | 60 | 46 | 7 | 689 | 100 |
2001 | 174 | 24 | 31 | 4 | 479 | 66 | 41 | 6 | 729 | 100 |
2002 | 157 | 24 | 32 | 5 | 426 | 64 | 41 | 6 | 663 | 100 |
2003 | 159 | 25 | 29 | 5 | 394 | 63 | 42 | 7 | 626 | 100 |
2004 | 144 | 20 | 44 | 6 | 478 | 66 | 52 | 7 | 722 | 100 |
2005 | 149 | 19 | 30 | 4 | 532 | 68 | 67 | 9 | 784 | 100 |
2006 | 131 | 17 | 23 | 3 | 539 | 70 | 71 | 9 | 769 | 100 |
2007 | 120 | 17 | 25 | 4 | 489 | 70 | 58 | 8 | 699 | 100 |
2008 | 111 | 16 | 24 | 3 | 509 | 71 | 68 | 9 | 716 | 100 |
2009 | 95 | 15 | 23 | 4 | 454 | 72 | 56 | 9 | 628 | 100 |
2010 | 81 | 13 | 18 | 3 | 452 | 73 | 66 | 11 | 621 | 100 |
2011 | 81 | 12 | 23 | 3 | 497 | 73 | 76 | 11 | 680 | 100 |
2012 | 100 | 14 | 17 | 2 | 535 | 73 | 72 | 10 | 730 | 100 |
2013 | 97 | 13 | 12 | 2 | 546 | 73 | 87 | 12 | 747 | 100 |
2014 | 82 | 11 | 13 | 2 | 553 | 76 | 68 | 9 | 723 | 100 |
2015 | 82 | 10 | 12 | 1 | 619 | 75 | 109 | 13 | 828 | 100 |
2016 | 87 | 10 | 16 | 2 | 622 | 73 | 112 | 13 | 848 | 100 |
2017 | 90 | 11 | 14 | 2 | 613 | 77 | 75 | 9 | 800 | 100 |
2018 | 73 | 8 | 18 | 2 | 671 | 77 | 95 | 11 | 868 | 100 |
2019 | 70 | 8 | 12 | 1 | 662 | 77 | 107 | 12 | 856 | 100 |
2020 | 84 | 9 | 13 | 1 | 714 | 77 | 103 | 11 | 932 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Fifty-seven percent of bicyclists killed in 2020 were not wearing helmets. Helmet use was unknown for 25 percent.
Bicyclist deaths by helmet use, 2010-2020 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | No helmet use | Helmet use | Unknown | Total | ||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
2010 | 429 | 69 | 94 | 15 | 98 | 16 | 621 | 100 |
2011 | 450 | 66 | 100 | 15 | 130 | 19 | 680 | 100 |
2012 | 469 | 64 | 123 | 17 | 138 | 19 | 730 | 100 |
2013 | 464 | 62 | 127 | 17 | 156 | 21 | 747 | 100 |
2014 | 429 | 59 | 118 | 16 | 176 | 24 | 723 | 100 |
2015 | 439 | 53 | 139 | 17 | 250 | 30 | 828 | 100 |
2016 | 425 | 50 | 138 | 16 | 285 | 34 | 848 | 100 |
2017 | 420 | 52 | 126 | 16 | 254 | 32 | 800 | 100 |
2018 | 525 | 60 | 121 | 14 | 222 | 26 | 868 | 100 |
2019 | 527 | 62 | 129 | 15 | 200 | 23 | 856 | 100 |
2020 | 535 | 57 | 168 | 18 | 229 | 25 | 932 | 100 |
Among bicyclists ages 16 and older who were killed in 2020, 18 percent had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at or above 0.08 percent.
Estimated number and percent of fatally injured bicyclists age 16 and older with BACs ≥ 0.08 percent, 1982-2020 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Bicyclists killed | Estimated bicyclists killed with BACs ≥ 0.08 | |
Number | Number | % | |
1982 | 446 | 124 | 28 |
1983 | 392 | 108 | 28 |
1984 | 415 | 100 | 24 |
1985 | 435 | 89 | 20 |
1986 | 485 | 112 | 23 |
1987 | 494 | 124 | 25 |
1988 | 502 | 126 | 25 |
1989 | 449 | 115 | 26 |
1990 | 551 | 131 | 24 |
1991 | 530 | 148 | 28 |
1992 | 418 | 108 | 26 |
1993 | 500 | 134 | 27 |
1994 | 495 | 129 | 26 |
1995 | 542 | 162 | 30 |
1996 | 507 | 130 | 26 |
1997 | 560 | 144 | 26 |
1998 | 526 | 152 | 29 |
1999 | 537 | 168 | 31 |
2000 | 496 | 152 | 31 |
2001 | 570 | 166 | 29 |
2002 | 503 | 146 | 29 |
2003 | 481 | 139 | 29 |
2004 | 569 | 141 | 25 |
2005 | 636 | 178 | 28 |
2006 | 653 | 182 | 28 |
2007 | 586 | 155 | 26 |
2008 | 618 | 155 | 25 |
2009 | 543 | 149 | 27 |
2010 | 552 | 128 | 23 |
2011 | 613 | 151 | 25 |
2012 | 662 | 170 | 26 |
2013 | 684 | 143 | 21 |
2014 | 656 | 139 | 21 |
2015 | 775 | 172 | 22 |
2016 | 777 | 158 | 20 |
2017 | 738 | 143 | 19 |
2018 | 819 | 161 | 20 |
2019 | 802 | 173 | 22 |
2020 | 868 | 159 | 18 |
When they died
Bicyclist deaths in 2020 were highest during August (12 percent) followed by July (11 percent).
Distribution of bicyclist deaths by month, 2020 | ||
---|---|---|
Month | Deaths | % |
January | 51 | 5 |
February | 39 | 4 |
March | 58 | 6 |
April | 66 | 7 |
May | 87 | 9 |
June | 95 | 10 |
July | 106 | 11 |
August | 113 | 12 |
September | 77 | 8 |
October | 85 | 9 |
November | 83 | 9 |
December | 72 | 8 |
Total | 932 | 100 |
Bicyclist deaths in 2020 peaked during the hours from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. (22 percent).
Distribution of bicyclist deaths by time of day, 2020 | ||
---|---|---|
Time of day | Deaths | % |
Midnight - 3 a.m. | 47 | 5 |
3 a.m. - 6 a.m. | 54 | 6 |
6 a.m. - 9 a.m. | 105 | 11 |
9 a.m. - noon | 101 | 11 |
Noon - 3 p.m. | 121 | 13 |
3 p.m. - 6 p.m. | 128 | 14 |
6 p.m. - 9 p.m. | 205 | 22 |
9 p.m. - midnight | 168 | 18 |
Total* | 932 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Where they died
In 2020, 79 percent of bicyclists were killed in urban areas. Bicyclist deaths occurred about equally in rural and urban areas in 1975.
Bicyclist deaths by land use, 1975-2020 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Urban | Rural | Total* | |||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
1975 | 497 | 50 | 506 | 50 | 1,003 | 100 |
1976 | 470 | 51 | 444 | 49 | 914 | 100 |
1977 | 543 | 59 | 375 | 41 | 922 | 100 |
1978 | 532 | 60 | 350 | 40 | 892 | 100 |
1979 | 541 | 60 | 367 | 40 | 932 | 100 |
1980 | 563 | 59 | 390 | 41 | 965 | 100 |
1981 | 528 | 59 | 371 | 41 | 936 | 100 |
1982 | 490 | 57 | 364 | 43 | 864 | 100 |
1983 | 502 | 61 | 324 | 39 | 830 | 100 |
1984 | 491 | 59 | 346 | 41 | 838 | 100 |
1985 | 515 | 59 | 353 | 41 | 869 | 100 |
1986 | 567 | 61 | 361 | 39 | 929 | 100 |
1987 | 532 | 57 | 406 | 43 | 940 | 100 |
1988 | 525 | 58 | 374 | 42 | 901 | 100 |
1989 | 520 | 63 | 302 | 37 | 822 | 100 |
1990 | 523 | 61 | 330 | 39 | 853 | 100 |
1991 | 539 | 64 | 297 | 36 | 836 | 100 |
1992 | 448 | 63 | 265 | 37 | 717 | 100 |
1993 | 491 | 61 | 313 | 39 | 806 | 100 |
1994 | 477 | 60 | 318 | 40 | 796 | 100 |
1995 | 540 | 66 | 284 | 34 | 828 | 100 |
1996 | 494 | 65 | 265 | 35 | 761 | 100 |
1997 | 519 | 64 | 289 | 36 | 811 | 100 |
1998 | 479 | 63 | 277 | 37 | 757 | 100 |
1999 | 484 | 65 | 266 | 35 | 750 | 100 |
2000 | 422 | 63 | 251 | 37 | 689 | 100 |
2001 | 478 | 66 | 251 | 34 | 729 | 100 |
2002 | 450 | 68 | 211 | 32 | 663 | 100 |
2003 | 435 | 70 | 189 | 30 | 626 | 100 |
2004 | 477 | 66 | 242 | 34 | 722 | 100 |
2005 | 539 | 69 | 243 | 31 | 784 | 100 |
2006 | 555 | 73 | 209 | 27 | 769 | 100 |
2007 | 500 | 72 | 197 | 28 | 699 | 100 |
2008 | 491 | 69 | 222 | 31 | 716 | 100 |
2009 | 436 | 70 | 191 | 30 | 628 | 100 |
2010 | 444 | 72 | 174 | 28 | 621 | 100 |
2011 | 468 | 69 | 208 | 31 | 680 | 100 |
2012 | 503 | 69 | 225 | 31 | 730 | 100 |
2013 | 505 | 68 | 242 | 32 | 747 | 100 |
2014 | 511 | 71 | 212 | 29 | 723 | 100 |
2015 | 565 | 71 | 234 | 29 | 828 | 100 |
2016 | 628 | 74 | 219 | 26 | 848 | 100 |
2017 | 610 | 76 | 189 | 24 | 800 | 100 |
2018 | 686 | 80 | 176 | 20 | 868 | 100 |
2019 | 682 | 80 | 174 | 20 | 856 | 100 |
2020 | 717 | 79 | 190 | 21 | 932 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Thirty-two percent of bicyclist deaths in 2020 occurred at intersections.
Bicyclist deaths by junction type, 2020 | ||
---|---|---|
Number | % | |
Intersection | 295 | 32 |
Non-intersection | 637 | 68 |
Total* | 932 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Sixty-one percent of bicyclist deaths in 2020 occurred on major roads other than interstates and freeways, and 33 percent occurred on minor roads. Deaths of bicyclists younger than 20 were more likely to occur on minor roads compared with deaths of bicyclists ages 20 and older (48 percent vs. 32 percent).
Bicyclist deaths by age group and road type, 2020 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Road type | < 20 years | ≥20 years | All ages* | |||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
Interstates and freeways | 1 | 1 | 19 | 2 | 20 | 2 |
Other major roads | 44 | 45 | 514 | 62 | 567 | 61 |
Minor roads | 47 | 48 | 263 | 32 | 312 | 33 |
All road types* | 97 | 100 | 823 | 100 | 932 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |