Bicyclists and Other Cyclists: 2021 Data 1
U.S. Department of Transportation NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590
DOT HS 813 484 June 2023
Bicyclists and Other Cyclists
As defined for this fact sheet, pedalcyclists are bicyclists and other cyclists
including riders of two-wheel, nonmotorized vehicles, tricycles, and unicycles
powered solely by pedals. This fact sheet does not include pedalcyclist crashes
that do not involve motor vehicles.
Key Findings
• In 2021 there were 966 pedalcyclist fatalities, accounting for 2.2 percent
of all traffic fatalities that year.
• In 2021 there was a 1.9-percent increase in pedalcyclists killed (966)
from the 948 pedalcyclists killed in 2020.
• In 2021 an estimated 41,615 pedalcyclists were injured, a 7-percent
increase from 38,886 pedalcyclists injured in 2020.
• In 2021 the pedalcyclist fatality rate per 100,000 people was 7 times
higher for males than females. The injury rate for pedalcyclists per
100,000 people was 4 times higher for males than for females.
• Alcohol involvement (blood alcohol concentration [BAC] of .01 grams
per deciliter [g/dL] or higher) – either for the motor vehicle driver
involved in a fatal pedalcyclist crash and/or the killed pedalcyclist – was
reported in 36 percent of all fatal pedalcyclist crashes in 2021.
• Twenty-one percent of the pedalcyclists who died in 2021 had BACs of
.01 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or greater.
• Eighty-five percent of fatal pedalcyclist crashes in 2021 were in
urban areas.
This fact sheet contains information on fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes based
on data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and non-fatal
motor vehicle traffic crashes from the National Automotive Sampling System
(NASS) General Estimates System (GES) and Crash Report Sampling System
(CRSS). A change instituted with the release of 2020 data is rounding estimates
to the nearest whole number instead of the nearest thousand for all police-
reported crashes, including injury estimates. Refer to the end of this publication
for more information on FARS, NASS GES, and CRSS.
Due to a vehicle classification change, the 2020 and later-year vehicle type
classifications are not comparable to 2019 and earlier-year vehicle type
classifications. This change affects any analysis with a vehicle component to
it. Refer to the end of this publication for more information on Product
Information Catalog and Vehicle Listing (vPIC).
In this fact sheet for 2021
the information is
presented as follows.
• Overview
• Age and Sex
• Alcohol
• Crash Characteristics
• Time of Day and Day
of Week
• Vehicle Type and
Impact Point
• State
• City
• Important Safety
Reminders
2021 Data
Bicyclists and Other Cyclists: 2021 Data 2
U.S. Department of Transportation NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590
A motor vehicle traffic crash is defined as an incident that involved one or more motor vehicles in-transport that
originated on or had a harmful event (injury or damage) on a public trafficway, such as a road or highway.
Crashes that occurred on private property not regularly used by the public for transport, including some parts of
parking lots and driveways, are excluded. The terms “motor vehicle traffic crash” and “traffic crash” are used
interchangeably in this document.
Overview
In 2021 there were 966 pedalcyclists killed in traffic crashes in the United States, an increase of 1.9 percent from
948 in 2020. Pedalcyclist deaths accounted for 2.2 percent of all traffic fatalities (Table 1) in 2021.
Table 1 presents the distribution of pedalcyclist fatalities as percentages of total fatalities as well as pedalcyclists
injured as percentages of total people injured in the 10-year period from 2012 to 2021. Pedalcyclist deaths have
accounted from a high of 2.4 percent to a low of 2.2 percent in those 10 years.
In 2021 an estimated 41,615 pedalcyclists were injured, a 7-percent increase from 38,886 pedalcyclists injured in
2020. Pedalcyclists injured made up 1.7 percent of the total people injured in 2021.
Table 1. Total Fatalities and Pedalcyclist Fatalities, and Total Injured and Pedalcyclists Injured in
Traffic Crashes, 2012–2021
Year
Total
Fatalities
Pedalcyclist Fatalities
Year
Total Injured
Number
Percentage of
Total Fatalities
Number
Percentage of
Total Injured
2012
33,782 734 2.2% 2012 2,369,083 49,300 2.1%
2013
32,893 749 2.3% 2013 2,318,992 48,088 2.1%
2014
32,744 729 2.2% 2014 2,342,621 50,414 2.2%
2015
35,484 829 2.3% 2015 2,454,778 45,066 1.8%
2016
37,806 853 2.3% 2016 3,061,885 64,218 2.1%
2017
37,473 806 2.2% 2017 2,745,268 49,698 1.8%
2018
36,835 871 2.4% 2018 2,710,059 46,536 1.7%
2019
36,355 859 2.4% 2019 2,740,141 49,057 1.8%
2020
39,007 948 2.4% 2020 2,282,209 38,886 1.7%
2021
42,939 966 2.2% 2021 2,497,657 41,615 1.7%
Sources: FARS 2012–2020 Final File, 2021 Annual Report File (ARF); NASS GES 2012–2015 and CRSS 2016–2021
†
CRSS estimates and NASS GES estimates are not comparable due to different sample designs. Refer to end of document for more
information about CRSS.
Age and Sex
Over the 10-year period from 2012 to 2021, the average age of pedalcyclists killed in traffic crashes has steadily
increased from 43 in 2012 to 49 in 2021.
Table 2 contains the number of pedalcyclists killed and injured in 2021 by age group and sex. For each sex and
the total, fatality and injury rates per 100,000 population are calculated by age group. In 2021 the majority of
pedalcyclists killed (86%) and pedalcyclists injured (81%) were males. The population-based pedalcyclist fatality
rate was 7 times higher for males than for females. The pedalcyclist injury rate was 4 times higher for males than
for females. The overall male pedalcyclist injury rate was 21 (per 100,000 people), compared with 5 for females.
The largest numbers of pedalcyclist fatalities were in the 60-to-64 and 55-to-59 age groups. Pedalcyclists in these
age groups also had the highest fatality rates (0.60 and 0.59 deaths per 100,000 population, respectively). The
highest pedalcyclist injury rates by age group were in the 15-to-20 age group followed by those in the 21-to-24
age group (23 and 19 people injured per 100,000 population, respectively).
Bicyclists and Other Cyclists: 2021 Data 3
U.S. Department of Transportation NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590
In 2021 children 14 and younger accounted for 4 percent of all pedalcyclists killed and 12 percent of all
pedalcyclists injured.
Table 2. Pedalcyclists Killed and Injured in Traffic Crashes, and Fatality and Injury Rates per
100,000 Population, by Age Group and Sex, 2021
Age Group
Male
Female
Total
1
Killed
Population
Fatality Rate
Killed
Population
Fatality
Rate
Killed
Population
Fatality
Rate
<5
1
9,624,352
0.01
2
9,202,986
0.02
4
18,827,338
0.02
5-9
7
10,376,158
0.07
2
9,915,390
0.02
9
20,291,548
0.04
10-14
22
10,988,223
0.20
3
10,459,561
0.03
25
21,447,784
0.12
Children (≤14)
30
30,988,733
0.10
7
29,577,937
0.02
38
60,566,670
0.06
15-20
36
13,242,042
0.27
14
12,669,303
0.11
50
25,911,345
0.19
21-24
29
8,754,172
0.33
3
8,423,146
0.04
32
17,177,318
0.19
25-29
47
11,379,058
0.41
6
11,013,419
0.05
53
22,392,477
0.24
30-34
41
11,674,304
0.35
7
11,428,324
0.06
48
23,102,628
0.21
35-39
59
11,263,833
0.52
9
11,035,485
0.08
69
22,299,318
0.31
40-44
67
10,593,780
0.63
6
10,510,756
0.06
74
21,104,536
0.35
45-49
46
9,875,757
0.47
9
9,905,753
0.09
55
19,781,510
0.28
50-54
71
10,436,202
0.68
11
10,470,724
0.11
83
20,906,926
0.40
55-59
114
10,630,059
1.07
13
10,937,255
0.12
127
21,567,314
0.59
60-64
110
10,333,259
1.06
14
10,902,491
0.13
127
21,235,750
0.60
65-69
64
8,748,213
0.73
6
9,646,107
0.06
72
18,394,320
0.39
70-74
45
7,120,873
0.63
4
8,150,929
0.05
49
15,271,802
0.32
75-79
40
4,472,410
0.89
7
5,432,359
0.13
48
9,904,769
0.48
80+
21
4,872,047
0.43
2
7,405,015
0.03
23
12,277,062
0.19
Ages 65+
170
25,213,543
0.67
19
30,634,410
0.06
192
55,847,953
0.34
Total
2
829
164,384,742
0.50
121
167,509,003
0.07
966
331,893,745
0.29
Age Group
Male
Female
Total
3
Injured
Population
Injury Rate
Injured
Population
Injury
Rate
Injured
Population
Injury
Rate
0-4
109
9,624,352
1
0
9,202,986
0
109
18,827,338
1
5-9
973
10,376,158
9
310
9,915,390
3
1,283
20,291,548
6
10-14
2,865
10,988,223
26
880
10,459,561
8
3,745
21,447,784
17
Children (≤14)
3,947
30,988,733
13
1,190
29,577,937
4
5,137
60,566,670
8
15-20
4,669
13,242,042
35
1,366
12,669,303
11
6,034
25,911,345
23
21-24
2,467
8,754,172
28
737
8,423,146
9
3,204
17,177,318
19
25-29
2,566
11,379,058
23
722
11,013,419
7
3,289
22,392,477
15
30-34
2,240
11,674,304
19
638
11,428,324
6
2,878
23,102,628
12
35-39
2,863
11,263,833
25
644
11,035,485
6
3,507
22,299,318
16
40-44
2,130
10,593,780
20
598
10,510,756
6
2,728
21,104,536
13
45-49
2,396
9,875,757
24
401
9,905,753
4
2,797
19,781,510
14
50-54
2,075
10,436,202
20
359
10,470,724
3
2,434
20,906,926
12
55-59
2,910
10,630,059
27
585
10,937,255
5
3,495
21,567,314
16
60-64
2,325
10,333,259
23
215
10,902,491
2
2,540
21,235,750
12
65-69
1,512
8,748,213
17
202
9,646,107
2
1,714
18,394,320
9
70-74
960
7,120,873
13
80
8,150,929
1
1,040
15,271,802
7
75-79
474
4,472,410
11
15
5,432,359
0
489
9,904,769
5
80+
294
4,872,047
6
32
7,405,015
0
326
12,277,062
3
Ages 65+
3,240
25,213,543
13
329
30,634,410
1
3,569
55,847,953
6
Total
4
33,830
164,384,742
21
7,784
167,509,003
5
41,615
331,893,745
13
Sources: FARS 2021 ARF; CRSS 2021; Population – Census Bureau
1
Includes unknown sex for pedalcyclists killed.
2
Includes unknown age for pedalcyclists killed.
3
Includes unknown sex for pedalcyclists injured in fatal crashes.
4
Includes unknown age for pedalcyclists injured in fatal crashes.
Note: Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding.
Bicyclists and Other Cyclists: 2021 Data 4
U.S. Department of Transportation NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590
Alcohol
Alcohol involvement (BAC of .01+ g/dL) — either for a motor vehicle driver involved in a fatal pedalcyclist
crash and/or the killed pedalcyclist — was reported in 36 percent of the traffic crashes that resulted in pedalcyclist
fatalities in 2021. Alcohol involvement is defined as whether alcohol was consumed by the driver and/or the
pedalcyclist prior to the crash; the presence of alcohol may or may not be a contributing factor in the crash.
“No alcohol” refers to a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .00 grams per deciliter (g/dL).
A total of 965 traffic crashes each had one or more pedalcyclist fatalities. Table 3 charts the estimated alcohol
involvement for the pedalcyclist killed, by the alcohol involvement of all drivers involved in those 965 crashes,
whether the drivers were killed or not. If more than one pedalcyclist was killed in a crash, the pedalcyclist with
the highest BAC was used. If more than one driver was involved in a crash, the driver with the highest BAC
was used.
In 2021:
• An estimated 18 percent of fatal pedalcyclist crashes had a pedalcyclist involved with a BAC of .08 g/dL
or higher.
• An estimated 16 percent of fatal pedalcyclist crashes had a driver involved with a BAC of .08 g/dL or
higher. (Note: It is illegal in every State to drive with a BAC of .08 g/dL or higher. However, Utah set a
lower threshold of .05 g/dL or higher that went into effect on December 30, 2018.)
• An estimated 4 percent of fatal pedalcyclist crashes had both a pedalcyclist and a driver involved with
BACs of .08 g/dL or higher.
Table 3. Traffic Crashes Resulting in Pedalcyclist Fatalities, by Alcohol Involvement of
Drivers and Pedalcyclists, 2021
Driver, No Alcohol,
BAC=.00 g/dL
Driver,
BAC=.01–.07 g/dL
Alcohol-Impaired
Driver, BAC=.08+ g/dL
Total
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Pedalcyclist, No Alcohol 618 64% 30 3% 118 12% 766 79%
Pedalcyclist, BAC=.01–.07 g/dL 18 2% 1 0% 5 0% 24 2%
Pedalcyclist, BAC=.08+ g/dL 132 14% 9 1% 34 4% 175 18%
Total Crashes 769 80% 40 4% 157 16% 965 100%
Source: FARS 2021 ARF
Notes: The alcohol levels in this table were determined using the alcohol levels of the pedalcyclists killed and the involved drivers (killed
or survived). NHTSA estimates BACs when alcohol test results are unknown.
As shown in Table 4, an estimated 21 percent of pedalcyclists killed had BACs of .01 g/dL or higher in 2021,
compared to 30 percent in 2012. In 2012 pedalcyclists killed in the 45-to-54 age group had highest percentages
with both BACs of .01 g/dL or higher (47%) and BACs of .08 g/dL or higher (41%). In 2021 pedalcyclists in the
age group 25-to-34 had both the highest alcohol involvement (28%) at .01+ g/dL and the highest alcohol
impairment (25%) at .08+ g/dL.
Table 4. Pedalcyclists Killed in Traffic Crashes, by Age Group and Their BACs, 2012 and 2021
Age
Group
2012
2021
Number
of
Fatalities
Percentage
With
No Alcohol
(BAC=
.00 g/dL)
Percentage
With BAC=
.01+ g/dL
Percentage
With BAC=
.01–.07 g/dL
Percentage
With BAC=
.08+ g/dL
Number
of
Fatalities
Percentage
With
No Alcohol
(BAC=
.00 g/dL)
Percentage
With BAC=
.01+ g/dL
Percentage
With BAC=
.01–.07 g/dL
Percentage
With BAC=
.08+ g/dL
15-20 76 86% 14% 5% 9% 50 91% 9% 1% 8%
21-24 29 82% 18% 3% 14% 32 87% 13% 1% 12%
25-34 82 63% 37% 9% 28% 101 72% 28% 3% 25%
35-44 91 66% 34% 4% 30% 143 77% 23% 4% 20%
Bicyclists and Other Cyclists: 2021 Data 5
U.S. Department of Transportation NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590
Age
Group
2012
2021
Number
of
Fatalities
Percentage
With
No Alcohol
(BAC=
.00 g/dL)
Percentage
With BAC=
.01+ g/dL
Percentage
With BAC=
.01–.07 g/dL
Percentage
With BAC=
.08+ g/dL
Number
of
Fatalities
Percentage
With
No Alcohol
(BAC=
.00 g/dL)
Percentage
With BAC=
.01+ g/dL
Percentage
With BAC=
.01–.07 g/dL
Percentage
With BAC=
.08+ g/dL
45-54 178 53% 47% 5% 41% 138 79% 21% 1% 20%
55-64 134 71% 29% 5% 23% 254 75% 25% 3% 22%
65-74 53 89% 11% 2% 9% 121 82% 18% 2% 16%
75-84 24 98% 2% 1% 1% 64 88% 13% 2% 10%
85+ 5 96% 4% 0% 4% 7 94% 6% 1% 4%
Total
Killed*
672 70% 30% 5% 26% 910 79% 21% 3% 19%
Source: FARS 2012 Final File, 2021 ARF
Note: NHTSA estimates BACs when alcohol test results are unknown.
*Excludes pedalcyclists younger than 15 and pedalcyclists of unknown age.
Crash Characteristics
Figure 1 shows information about the crash characteristics describing pedalcyclist fatalities in traffic crashes in
2021: land use, pedalcyclist location, light condition, and season and time of day.
• About 6 in 7 pedalcyclist fatalities (85%) occurred in urban areas as opposed to rural areas (15%).
• Sixty-two percent of pedalcyclist fatalities occurred at locations that were not intersections, 29 percent
occurred at intersections, and the remaining 9 percent occurred at other locations including
shoulders/roadsides, bicycle lanes, sidewalks, shared-use paths, driveway accesses, and other sites.
• More pedalcyclist fatalities occurred in the dark (52%) than in daylight (44%), dusk (2%), or dawn (2%).
• Pedalcyclist fatalities by season (defined by months) and the time of day (divided into eight 3-hour
intervals starting at midnight), are presented below.
o Thirty percent of pedalcyclist fatalities occurred during the fall months (September to November), 27
percent occurred during the summer months (June to August), 23 percent occurred during the spring
months (March to May), and 20 percent occurred during the winter months (January, February, and
the following December).
o During the winter months, the largest group (31%) of pedalcyclist fatalities occurred from 6 to 8:59
p.m., followed by 16 percent from both 3 to 5:59 p.m and from 9 to 11:59 p.m.
o During the spring months, the 6 to 8:59 p.m. time period had the highest percentage (24%) of
pedalcyclist fatalities, followed by 17 percent from 3 to 5:59 p.m., and 15 percent from 9 to 11:59
p.m.
o During the summer months, more pedalcyclist fatalities occurred from 9 to 11:59 p.m. (22%) than
any other time, followed by 15 percent from 3 to 5:59 a.m.
o During the fall months, 21 percent of the pedalcyclist fatalities occurred from 6 to 8:59 p.m., followed
by 14 percent from 9 to 11:59 p.m.
Bicyclists and Other Cyclists: 2021 Data 6
U.S. Department of Transportation NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590
Figure 1. Percentages of Pedalcyclist Fatalities in Traffic Crashes in Relation to Land Use,
Pedalcyclist Location, Light Condition, and Season and Time of Day, 2021
Source: FARS 2021 ARF
* Based on location of pedalcyclist struck at the time of the crash. “Other” includes sidewalk, bicycle lane, median/crossing island, parking
lane/zone, shoulder/roadside, driveway access, shared-use path, and non-traffic area, which may or may not have been at intersection, but
were not distinguished by collected data. Thus, “At Intersection” and “Not At Intersection” do not include those in the “Other” category
that were at intersection or not at intersection.
Notes: Percentages may not add up to 100 percent due to independent rounding. Unknowns were removed before calculating percentages.
Time of Day and Day of Week
In 2021 there were 583 (61%) pedalcyclist fatalities during weekdays and 380 (39%) pedalcyclist fatalities during
weekends. In Figure 2 the time of day is divided into eight 3-hour time intervals starting at midnight, and day of
week is defined as weekday (Monday 6 a.m. to Friday 5:59 p.m.) and weekend (Friday 6 p.m. to Monday 5:59
a.m.). The following summarizes information about 2021 pedalcyclist fatalities in traffic crashes.
• The period 6 p.m. to 8:59 p.m. had the highest frequency of pedalcyclist fatalities during both weekdays
(21%) and weekends (23%).
• The next highest percentage of pedalcyclist fatalities occurred from 9 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. on weekends
(22%), followed by 3 to 5:59 p.m. on weekdays (18%).
Rural
15%
Urban
85%
Land Use
At
Intersection
29%
Not At Intersection
62%
Other
9%
Pedalcyclist Location
Dark
52%
Daylight
44%
Dawn
2%
Dusk
2%
Light Condition
10%
8%
8%
5%
9%
9%
8%
7%
13%
11%
9%
9%
11%
11%
8%
7%
8%
10%
10%
9%
13%
15%
17%
16%
21%
14%
24%
31%
14%
22%
15%
16%
Sep–Nov
(Fall)
Jun–Aug
(Summer)
Mar–May
(Spring)
Jan–Feb, Dec
(Winter)
Season and Time of Day
Midnight–2:59 a.m. 3–5:59 a.m. 6–8:59 a.m. 9–11:59 p.m.
Noon–2:59 p.m. 3–5:59 p.m. 6–8:59 p.m. 9–11:59 p.m.
Bicyclists and Other Cyclists: 2021 Data 7
U.S. Department of Transportation NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590
Figure 2. Percentages of Pedalcyclist Fatalities in Traffic Crashes, by Time of Day and Day of
Week, 2021
Source: FARS 2021 ARF
Weekday—Monday 6 a.m. to Friday 5:59 p.m. (4.5 days)
Weekend—Friday 6 p.m. to Monday 5:59 a.m. (2.5 days)
Note: Unknowns were removed before calculating percentages.
Vehicle Type and Impact Point
Ninety-five percent (914) of the pedalcyclists killed were in single-vehicle traffic crashes in 2021; 5 percent (52)
were killed in multiple-vehicle crashes. Of the 914 pedalcyclists killed in single-vehicle crashes, 99.8 percent
(912) were killed in crashes where the first harmful event was collision with a pedalcyclist. Table 5 presents the
912 pedalcyclists killed in these crashes by vehicle type and location of the initial point of impact on the striking
vehicle.
In 2021:
• Pedalcyclists who died in single-vehicle crashes were most likely to be struck by the front of the vehicles.
• Pedalcyclists who died in single-vehicle crashes involving passenger vehicles (passenger cars and light
trucks including SUVs, pickups, and vans) were more likely to be hit by the front of these vehicles as
compared to crashes involving large trucks.
• Light trucks were the most frequently involved vehicle in single-vehicle traffic crashes in which a
pedalcyclist was killed (421 of the 912). In 86 percent (364) of these crashes, the pedalcyclist was struck
by the front of the light truck.
• Buses and large trucks had the highest percentages of right-side impacts, accounting for 33.3 and 21.5
percent of pedalcyclist fatalities respectively, whereas for passenger vehicles this percentage was 4.5
percent.
• Large trucks had the highest percentage of rear-impact pedalcyclist fatalities (4.6%).
17%
22%
15%
9%
10%
11%
8%
8%
22%
23%
11%
6%
9%
9%
9%
13%
14%
21%
18%
11%
11%
12%
8%
5%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%
9–11:59 p.m.
6–8:59 p.m.
3–5:59 p.m.
Noon–2:59 p.m.
9–11:59 a.m.
6–8:59 a.m.
3–5:59 a.m.
Midnight–2:59 a.m.
Weekday Weekend Total
Bicyclists and Other Cyclists: 2021 Data 8
U.S. Department of Transportation NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590
Table 5. Pedalcyclists Killed in Single-Vehicle Traffic Crashes Where the First Harmful Event
Was Collision With a Pedalcyclist, by Vehicle Type and Initial Point of Impact on Vehicle, 2021
Vehicle Type
Initial Point of Impact on Vehicle
Total
Front
Right Side
Left Side
Rear
Other/Unknown
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Passenger Car
293
92.7%
10
3.2%
3
0.9%
2
0.6%
8
2.5%
316
100%
Light Truck
364
86.5%
23
5.5%
12
2.9%
5
1.2%
17
4.0%
421
100%
— SUV
175
85.8%
14
6.9%
5
2.5%
3
1.5%
7
3.4%
204
100%
— Pickup
155
86.1%
8
4.4%
6
3.3%
2
1.1%
9
5.0%
180
100%
— Van
34
91.9%
1
2.7%
1
2.7%
0
0.0%
1
2.7%
37
100%
Large Truck
37
56.9%
14
21.5%
3
4.6%
3
4.6%
8
12.3%
65
100%
Bus
2
33.3%
2
33.3%
1
16.7%
0
0.0%
1
16.7%
6
100%
Other/Unknown
Vehicle
60 57.7% 3 2.9% 0 0.0% 1 1.0% 40 38.5% 104 100%
Total
756
82.9%
52
5.7%
19
2.1%
11
1.2%
74
8.1%
912
100%
Source: FARS 2021 ARF
State
Figure 3 contains a map of the percentages of total traffic fatalities who were pedalcyclists by State in 2021. Table
6 shows the population, the number of total and pedalcyclist fatalities, the percentages of total fatalities who were
pedalcyclists, and the population-based pedalcyclist fatality rates by State for 2021. Note that in this section, as
well as the following section on fatalities by city, the populations of States and cities can vary from the recorded
population. States with substantial seasonal tourism, such as Florida, and cities with a large influx of daily
commuters, such as Washington, DC, have at times a substantially larger population than is reflected in their
numbers of residents. More important, the population may not reflect the number of pedalcyclists. Some States
may have higher proportions of the population biking than others. Also included in Table 6 is Puerto Rico, which
is not included in the overall U.S. total.
In 2021:
• Pedalcyclist fatalities were highest in Florida (197), followed by California (125) and Texas (91).
• There were no pedalcyclist fatalities in South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, or Wyoming.
• The percentages of pedalcyclist fatalities among total fatalities in States ranged from a high of 7.3 percent
(Washington, DC) to a low of 0.5 percent (Nebraska and Tennessee) for those States with pedalcyclist
fatalities, compared to the national percentage of 2.2 percent.
• The highest fatality rate per 100,000 population was in Florida (0.90 fatalities per 100,000 people)
followed by Louisiana (0.74 fatalities per 100,000 people), compared to the national rate of 0.29. Of those
States with pedalcyclist fatalities, Nebraska had the lowest fatality rate per 100,000 population (0.05)
followed by Massachusetts (0.07).
Bicyclists and Other Cyclists: 2021 Data 9
U.S. Department of Transportation NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590
Figure 3. Percentages of Total Traffic Fatalities Who Were Pedalcyclists, by State, 2021
Source: FARS 2021 ARF
Bicyclists and Other Cyclists: 2021 Data 10
U.S. Department of Transportation NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590
Table 6. Total and Pedalcyclist Fatalities in Traffic Crashes, and Pedalcyclist Fatality Rates, by
State, 2021
State
Total
Fatalities
Pedalcyclist Fatalities
Population
Pedalcyclist Fatality Rate
per 100,000 Population
Number
Percentage of Total Fatalities
Alabama
983
7
0.7%
5,039,877
0.14
Alaska
67
2
3.0%
732,673
0.27
Arizona
1,180
45
3.8%
7,276,316
0.62
Arkansas
693
10
1.4%
3,025,891
0.33
California
4,285
125
2.9%
39,237,836
0.32
Colorado
691
15
2.2%
5,812,069
0.26
Connecticut
298
3
1.0%
3,605,597
0.08
Delaware
136
2
1.5%
1,003,384
0.20
District of Columbia
41
3
7.3%
670,050
0.45
Florida
3,738
197
5.3%
21,781,128
0.90
Georgia
1,797
15
0.8%
10,799,566
0.14
Hawaii
94
4
4.3%
1,441,553
0.28
Idaho
271
3
1.1%
1,900,923
0.16
Illinois
1,334
34
2.5%
12,671,469
0.27
Indiana
932
21
2.3%
6,805,985
0.31
Iowa
356
11
3.1%
3,193,079
0.34
Kansas
424
4
0.9%
2,934,582
0.14
Kentucky
806
10
1.2%
4,509,394
0.22
Louisiana
972
34
3.5%
4,624,047
0.74
Maine
153
2
1.3%
1,372,247
0.15
Maryland
561
6
1.1%
6,165,129
0.10
Massachusetts
417
5
1.2%
6,984,723
0.07
Michigan
1,136
29
2.6%
10,050,811
0.29
Minnesota
488
9
1.8%
5,707,390
0.16
Mississippi
772
16
2.1%
2,949,965
0.54
Missouri
1,016
7
0.7%
6,168,187
0.11
Montana
239
3
1.3%
1,104,271
0.27
Nebraska
221
1
0.5%
1,963,692
0.05
Nevada
385
6
1.6%
3,143,991
0.19
New Hampshire
118
2
1.7%
1,388,992
0.14
New Jersey
699
23
3.3%
9,267,130
0.25
New Mexico
481
6
1.2%
2,115,877
0.28
New York
1,157
33
2.9%
19,835,913
0.17
North Carolina
1,663
23
1.4%
10,551,162
0.22
North Dakota
101
1
1.0%
774,948
0.13
Ohio
1,354
30
2.2%
11,780,017
0.25
Oklahoma
762
12
1.6%
3,986,639
0.30
Oregon
599
18
3.0%
4,246,155
0.42
Pennsylvania
1,230
21
1.7%
12,964,056
0.16
Rhode Island
63
2
3.2%
1,095,610
0.18
South Carolina
1,198
23
1.9%
5,190,705
0.44
South Dakota
148
0
0.0%
895,376
0.00
Tennessee
1,327
7
0.5%
6,975,218
0.10
Texas
4,498
91
2.0%
29,527,941
0.31
Utah
328
6
1.8%
3,337,975
0.18
Vermont
74
0
0.0%
645,570
0.00
Virginia
973
16
1.6%
8,642,274
0.19
Washington
670
14
2.1%
7,738,692
0.18
West Virginia
280
0
0.0%
1,782,959
0.00
Wisconsin
620
9
1.5%
5,895,908
0.15
Wyoming
110
0
0.0%
578,803
0.00
U.S. Total
42,939
966
2.2%
331,893,745
0.29
Puerto Rico
337
12
3.6%
3,263,584
0.37
Sources: FARS 2021 ARF; Population – Census Bureau
Bicyclists and Other Cyclists: 2021 Data 11
U.S. Department of Transportation NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590
City
For each U.S. city with a population of over 500,000, Table 7 shows the population, number of total fatalities and
pedalcyclist fatalities, the percentages of total fatalities who were pedalcyclists, and the population-based fatality
rates for all traffic fatalities and pedalcyclist fatalities in 2021. Of the 37 cities listed, 16 had lower pedalcyclist
fatality rates than the national average of 0.29 per 100,000 population.
• Among large cities, the city with the highest pedalcyclist fatality rate was in Tucson (1.29 pedalcyclist
fatalities per 100,000 people), followed by Indianapolis (0.68 pedalcyclist fatalities per 100,000 people).
• Of those major cities that had pedalcyclist fatalities, the lowest fatality rates were in New York (0.09
pedalcyclist fatalities per 100,000 people) followed by Denver (0.14 pedalcyclist fatalities per 100,000
people), and Detroit (0.16 pedalcyclist fatalities per 100,000 people).
• Seven major cities reported zero pedalcyclist fatalities in traffic crashes in 2021: San Francisco,
Nashville, El Paso, Boston, Las Vegas, Portland, and Kansas City.
• Pedalcyclist fatalities in traffic crashes in these major cities account for about 14 percent of all
pedalcyclist fatalities in traffic crashes nationwide.
Bicyclists and Other Cyclists: 2021 Data 12
U.S. Department of Transportation NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590
Table 7. Total and Pedalcyclist Fatalities in Traffic Crashes in Cities With Populations of
500,000 or Greater, and Fatality Rates, 2021
City
Total
Fatalities
Pedalcyclist Fatalities
Population
Fatality Rate per 100,000 Population
Number
Percentage of
Total Fatalities
Total
Pedalcyclist
New York, NY
252
8
3.2%
8,467,513
2.98
0.09
Los Angeles, CA
332
12
3.6%
3,849,297
8.62
0.31
Chicago, IL
233
11
4.7%
2,696,555
8.64
0.41
Houston, TX
337
12
3.6%
2,288,250
14.73
0.52
Phoenix, AZ
291
10
3.4%
1,624,569
17.91
0.62
Philadelphia, PA
133
7
5.3%
1,576,251
8.44
0.44
San Antonio, TX
200
6
3.0%
1,451,853
13.78
0.41
San Diego, CA
118
5
4.2%
1,381,611
8.54
0.36
Dallas, TX
228
3
1.3%
1,288,457
17.70
0.23
San Jose, CA
76
5
6.6%
983,489
7.73
0.51
Austin, TX
118
4
3.4%
964,177
12.24
0.41
Jacksonville, FL
180
6
3.3%
954,614
18.86
0.63
Fort Worth, TX
128
2
1.6%
935,508
13.68
0.21
Columbus, OH
97
3
3.1%
906,528
10.70
0.33
Indianapolis, IN
144
6
4.2%
882,039
16.33
0.68
Charlotte, NC
109
2
1.8%
879,709
12.39
0.23
San Francisco, CA
31
0
0.0%
815,201
3.80
0.00
Seattle, WA
45
3
6.7%
733,919
6.13
0.41
Denver, CO
68
1
1.5%
711,463
9.56
0.14
Oklahoma City, OK
100
2
2.0%
687,725
14.54
0.29
Nashville, TN
118
0
0.0%
678,851
17.38
0.00
El Paso, TX
82
0
0.0%
678,415
12.09
0.00
Washington, DC
41
3
7.3%
670,050
6.12
0.45
Boston, MA
32
0
0.0%
654,776
4.89
0.00
Las Vegas, NV
34
0
0.0%
646,790
5.26
0.00
Portland, OR
63
0
0.0%
641,162
9.83
0.00
Detroit, MI
150
1
0.7%
632,464
23.72
0.16
Louisville, KY
106
3
2.8%
628,594
16.86
0.48
Memphis, TN
238
3
1.3%
628,127
37.89
0.48
Baltimore, MD
48
1
2.1%
576,498
8.33
0.17
Milwaukee, WI
71
1
1.4%
569,330
12.47
0.18
Albuquerque, NM
133
3
2.3%
562,599
23.64
0.53
Fresno, CA
81
3
3.7%
544,510
14.88
0.55
Tucson, AZ
114
7
6.1%
543,242
20.99
1.29
Sacramento, CA
70
1
1.4%
525,041
13.33
0.19
Mesa, AZ
56
2
3.6%
509,475
10.99
0.39
Kansas City, MO
81
0
0.0%
508,394
15.93
0.00
Sources: FARS 2021 ARF; Population – Census Bureau
Note: Sorted by highest to lowest population.
Bicyclists and Other Cyclists: 2021 Data 13
U.S. Department of Transportation NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590
Important Safety Reminders
• All bicyclists should wear properly fitted bicycle helmets every time they ride. A helmet is the single
most effective way to prevent head injury resulting from a bicycle crash.
www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=22&v=hLlXswx0VvQ&feature=emb_logo
• Bicyclists are considered vehicle operators; they are required to obey the same rules of the road as other
vehicle operators, including obeying traffic signs, signals, and lane markings. When cycling in the street,
cyclists must ride in the same direction as traffic.
• Drivers of motor vehicles need to share the road with bicyclists. Be courteous – allow at least 3 feet of
clearance when passing a bicyclist on the road, look for cyclists before opening a car door or pulling from
a parking space, and yield to cyclists at intersections and as directed by signs and signals. Be especially
watchful for cyclists when making turns, either left or right.
• Bicyclists should increase their visibility to drivers by wearing fluorescent or brightly colored clothing
during the day, and at dawn and dusk. To be noticed when riding at night, use a front light and a red
reflector or flashing rear light, and use retro-reflective tape or markings on equipment or clothing.
• Consult State and local laws for safety reminders as they may differ from the ones above.
• For more information on Bicycle Safety visit www.nhtsa.gov/Driving-Safety/Bicycles
— NHTSA’s Research and Program Development
Bicyclists and Other Cyclists: 2021 Data 14
U.S. Department of Transportation NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590
Fatality Analysis Reporting System
FARS contains data on every fatal motor vehicle traffic crash within the 50 States, the District of Columbia,
and Puerto Rico. To be included in FARS, a traffic crash must involve a motor vehicle traveling on a
trafficway customarily open to the public, and must result in the death of a vehicle occupant or a nonoccupant
within 30 days of the crash. The Annual Report File (ARF) is the FARS data file associated with the most
recent available year, which is subject to change when it is finalized the following year to the final version
known as the Final File. The additional time between the ARF and the Final File provides the opportunity for
submission of important variable data requiring outside sources, which may lead to changes in the final
counts. More information on FARS can be found at www.nhtsa.gov/crash-data-systems/fatality-analysis-
reporting-system.
The updated final counts for the previous data year will be reflected with the release of the recent year’s ARF.
For example, along with the release of the 2021 ARF, the 2020 Final File was released to replace the 2020
ARF. The final fatality count in motor vehicle traffic crashes for 2020 was 39,007, which was updated from
38,824 in the 2020 ARF. The number of pedalcyclist fatalities from the 2020 Final File was 948, which was
updated from 938 from the 2020 ARF.
Crash Report Sampling System
NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) redesigned the nationally representative
sample of police-reported traffic crashes, which estimates the number of police-reported injury and property-
damage-only crashes in the United States. CRSS replaced the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS)
General Estimates System (GES) in 2016. More information on CRSS can be found at www.nhtsa.gov/crash-
data-systems/crash-report-sampling-system-crss.
Product Information Catalog and Vehicle Listing (vPIC) Vehicle Classification
Historically, vehicle type classifications (e.g., passenger cars, light trucks, large trucks, motorcycles, buses)
from FARS, NASS GES, and CRSS used for analysis and data reporting were based on analyst-coded vehicle
body type. NHTSA did not have manufacturer authoritative data to assist in vehicle body type coding. NCSA
has developed a Product Information Catalog and Vehicle Listing (vPIC) dataset that is being used to decode
VINs (Vehicle Identification Numbers) and extract vehicle information. Details of vehicles (make, model,
body class, etc.) involved in crashes are obtained from vPIC via VIN-linkage. The VIN-derived information
from vPIC uses the manufacturer’s classification of body class, which allows for more accurate vehicle
type analysis.
The vPIC-based analysis data are available beginning with 2020 FARS and CRSS data files. Starting with the
release of 2021 FARS and CRSS data, all vehicle-related analysis for 2020 and later years will be based on
vPIC vehicle classification. As a result, the 2020 and later-year vehicle type classifications are not
comparable to 2019 and earlier-year vehicle type classifications. This change affects any analysis with a
vehicle component to it. More information on vPIC can be found at https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/.
Bicyclists and Other Cyclists: 2021 Data 15
U.S. Department of Transportation NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590
The suggested APA format citation for this document is:
National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2023, June). Bicyclists and other cyclists: 2021 data (Traffic Safety
Facts. Report No. DOT HS 813 484). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
15975-062723-v3
For More Information:
Motor vehicle traffic crash data are available from the National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA),
NSA-230. NCSA can be contacted at [email protected] or 800-934-
8517. NCSA programs can be
found at www.nhtsa.gov/data. To report a motor vehicle safety-related problem or to inquire about safety
information, contact the Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 or
www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-
safety-problem.
The following data tools and resources can be found at https://cdan.nhtsa.gov/.
• Fatal Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Data Visualizations
• Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Databook
• Fatality and Injury Reporting System Tool (FIRST)
• State Traffic Safety Information (STSI)
• Traffic Safety Facts Annual Report Tables
• FARS Data Tables (FARS Encyclopedia)
• Crash Viewer
• Product Information Catalog and Vehicle Listing (vPIC)
• FARS, NASS GES, CRSS, NASS Crashworthiness Data System (CDS), and Crash Investigation
Sampling System (CISS) data can be downloaded for further analysis.
Other fact sheets available from NCSA:
• Alcohol-Impaired Driving
• Children
• Large Trucks
• Motorcycles
• Occupant Protection in Passenger Vehicles
• Older Population
• Passenger Vehicles
• Pedestrians
• Rural/Urban Comparison of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities
• School-Transportation-Related Crashes
• Speeding
• State Alcohol-Impaired-Driving Estimates
• State Traffic Data
• Summary of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes
• Young Drivers
Detailed data on motor vehicle traffic crashes are published annually in Traffic
Safety Facts: A Compilation of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Data. The fact sheets
and Traffic Safety Facts annual report can be found at
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/
.