By Charles Pekow — Fatalities among US bike riders went up at an alarming 13 percent rate in 2022, when 1,105 people were killed while riding, That represents an increase from 976 the year before. And the injury rate went up 11 percent over the year (46,195 in the country), according to data published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
NHTSA uses the term “pedalcycles,” which includes mainly bicycles but also unicycles and tricycles. It changed its definition to include ebikes for the first time in 2022. Previously, it considered them motorcycles. NHTSA counted 43 ebike fatalities in 2021, of which all but seven involved another vehicle.
In 37 percent of fatalities, the cyclist and/or motorist had been drinking, including almost a quarter of the cyclists killed. About half the fatalities occurred after dark.
NHTSA relies on reports it receives from states, which may not be complete. See NHTSA’s 2022 report on Traffic Safety Facts, 2022 Data, Bicyclists and other Cyclists at https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813591
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), meanwhile, reported that “1,084 bicyclists were killed in crashes with motor vehicles in 2022, the highest number ever recorded.” (IIHS’ figure doesn’t include cyclists killed in other types of incidents.) IIHS says that 80% of those killed were aged 20 or over. It says that 62 percent of the deceased cyclists weren’t wearing helmets but the helmet data aren’t complete and it’s not known how many died of head injuries.
Deaths have been on an upward trajectory since 2010, when IIHS said only 621 riders in America died or were mortally wounded on a ride. As you would expect, deaths peaked July through October and waned in January and February. IIHS reports, “Bicyclist deaths have increased 8% since 1975, and have increased 75% since reaching their lowest point in 2010.”
See IIHS’ data at https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/bicyclists#yearly-snapshot.
Note: Casualty numbers don’t consider factors such as the number of people biking, the demographics of riders (though they consider demographics of the injured) or changes in riding habits.
