In 2008, 716 bicyclists were killed in crashes with cars, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. A shocking 17% of those deaths (125 people in 2008) occurred in Florida, even though the state has only 6% of the nation’s population, making it the most deadly state for both cyclists and pedestrians.
A recently released study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed Florida with the most cyclist deaths followed closely by California with 109. Texas was statistically the third most deadly state for cyclists in 2008 with 53 deaths.
Vermont, South Dakota and Nebraska were the safest states, reporting no cycling fatalities. Alaska, Washington D.C., North Dakota, Rhode Island, and Wyoming all reported only one cyclist death each.
The NHTSA estimates 53,000 cyclist were injuries in collisions with vehicle during the yearlong study period in 2008.
The study also reports alcohol use by either the driver or the cyclists in a shocking 37% fatal accidents. In 23% of reported accidents, the cyclists killed had a BAC of .08 or higher.
USA Today has an interesting map of deaths by state here, and you can download a PDF of the full findings of the NHTSA study here. See some interesting graphs and charts from the study after the break.
