South Carolina 5th most dangerous state for bicyclist, research says

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - South Carolina is the fifth most dangerous state to be a bicyclist, according to new research by personal injury law firm Dolman Law.

The firm studied data over 10 years from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to see which state had the highest percentage of cyclist deaths according to the population and South Carolina ranks in fifth place.

We’re told South Carolina has three and half deaths per 100,000 after 178 total bicyclist fatalities between 2010 and 2019. Throughout the 10 year study, the state has seen the average number of bicyclist deaths rising each year.

In South Carolina, bicyclists must use dedicated bicycle lanes, however, they must ride as close to the right side of the road as possible if there is no bicycle lane present or if there is only an adjacent recreational bicycle path available.

Here’s a look at how other states ranked:

Rank	State	Bicyclist deaths per 100,000	Total bicyclist deaths (10 years)	Population
1	Florida	6.18	1341	21,670,000
2	Louisiana	4.5	210	4,659,978
3	Arizona	3.69	265	7,171,646
4	Delaware	3.51	34	967,171
5	South Carolina	3.5	178	5,084,127
6	California	3.42	1355	39,557,045
7	New Mexico	2.91	61	2,095,428
8	Michigan	2.55	255	9,995,915
9	Colorado	2.42	138	5,695,564
10	Nevada	2.27	69	3,034,392

“As more of us take up biking, whether it’s to go to work, for leisure to spend time with our families, we should pay attention to the safety figures and laws that protect us and our children,” a spokesperson from Dolman Law said. “... the high number of bicyclist fatalities, which is still growing each year, shows that there is still more work that needs to be done to make traveling safe. While some states have taken comprehensive measures to make bicycling a viable method of transport, others still have a long way to go before bicycling can be a safe option for people of all ages.”

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