CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) – New research has revealed that West Virginia is the fourth safest state for cyclists.
The research by bike experts Ice Bike studied data over ten years from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to see which states had the lowest percentage of cyclist deaths according to the population.
West Virginia is the fourth safest state for cyclists, with 1.05 deaths per 100,000 people. This fatality rate is 55% below the national average. According to NHTSA figures, there have been only 19 reported cyclist deaths in West Virginia over the last ten years.
The analysis also revealed that between 2010 and 2019, 15 people were killed in cyclist accidents in Nebraska. Compared to the state’s population, this equates to 0.77 deaths per 100,000 people. It is the lowest rate in the nation and 67% below the national average of 2.35 per 100,000.
Nebraska’s total number of cyclist fatalities made up just 0.2% of all American deaths from 2010-2019.
South Dakota sits in second place, with seven cyclist deaths in the ten-year period, and Vermont comes in third.
The rest of the top ten states for cycling safety can be seen below:
| The Safest States for Cyclists | ||||
| Rank | State | Bicyclist deaths per 100,000 | Total bicyclist deaths (10 years) | Population |
| 1 | Nebraska | 0.77 | 15 | 1,929,268 |
| 2 | South Dakota | 0.79 | 7 | 882,235 |
| 3 | Vermont | 0.96 | 6 | 626,299 |
| 4 | West Virginia | 1.05 | 19 | 1,805,832 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 1.06 | 72 | 6,770,010 |
| 6 | Missouri | 1.07 | 66 | 6,126,452 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 1.13 | 12 | 1,057,315 |
| 8 | Connecticut | 1.17 | 42 | 3,572,665 |
| 9 | Wyoming | 1.21 | 7 | 577,737 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 1.23 | 85 | 6,902,149 |
In the United States, cyclist deaths have risen 44% in ten years, climbing from 4,302 in 2010 to 6,205 in 2019.
Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson from Ice Bike mentioned that bicycling is a secondary method of transportation, which accounts for the fatalities.
“The US, being primarily reliant on cars, means that other forms of transport are secondary. Throughout the study, there is a general trend of fatalities increasing year-on-year. So when planning a bike tour, it’s important to know which states you are safest in.”
Ice Bike.org Spokesperson
The research was conducted by Ice Bike, which provides reviews and price comparisons for bikes.
