Florida Bike Crash Data

Bicycle safety awareness continues to rise as more and more people depend on this mode of transportation for their daily living needs. With bike riders on the streets in higher numbers, traffic safety rules in Florida need to change in order to protect riders from the dangers associated with motor vehicle drivers. In 2011, Florida was ranked the deadliest state for cyclists, with 120 total fatalities associated with motor vehicles and bicyclists. With the weather being favorable to bicycle riders throughout the year, this is a statistic that might be swayed considering states such as Massachusetts only have bike riders on the road a few months out of the year.

According to Florida statutes, all people riding a bicycle on the streets of Florida are under the same obligations as motorists to follow the safety rules of the road. All riders under the age of 16 must wear a bicycle helmet – a significant number of fatalities nationwide have been caused by riders ignoring basic bicycle safety equipment. Riders must ride in the bike lane, or, if no bike lane exists, they must ride as safely as possible along the right side of the road. New bike lanes are being created all the time, offering more safety to bike riders.

National Statistics Regarding Bike Accidents

National bicycle accident statistics include the following:

• In 2022, an estimated 46195 people riding bikes, tricycles and unicycles (known as “pedalcyclists”) were injured in accidents involving motor vehicles.

• Out of these individuals, 1,105 died as a result of their injuries.

• 2.6% of the fatalities involving motor vehicles were bicyclists and other pedalcyclists.

• Of the cyclists killed in the United States in 2011, 69% were killed in urban areas.

• The most likely time period for fatal crashes was (39%) between the hours of 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. About 39% of pedalcyclist fatalities happened during this time of day.

• In 2022, the average age for all pedalcyclists killed in the United States was 48.

Florida Bicycle Accident Data

Bike accident data for Florida includes the following:

• In 2024, Florida had 2,965 traffic fatalities and 2,768 fatal car accidents.

• Of those traffic fatalities, 181 were people riding bicycles.

• Of the total road fatalities in 2024, 6.1% were bicyclists.

• In 2011, bicyclists were killed most frequently between the hours of 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. throughout the year.

• The average age for a bicyclist killed in Florida in 2011 was 36.

• In 2022, Florida ranked first in pedalcyclist fatalities of any U.S., with 222 deaths on the road that year.

• Of the total number of fatalities in the state, Florida pedalcyclists accounted for 6.3%. That was the highest rate of any state and surpassed only by the District of Columbia.

• In 2022, the pedacyclist fatality rate per 100,000 people in the state of Florida was 1.0.

Other Bicycle Safety Facts

Additional bike safety facts include the following:

• About 83% of pedalcyclist fatalities nationwide happened in urban areas in 2022.
• About 29% happened at intersections.
• Alcohol was involved in 37% of fatal collisions.