The 10 most dangerous states in America for cyclists

Biking is an eco-friendly, cost-effective way to get around — not to mention it’s a great workout. In major cities, the availability of bike-sharing services makes it easy to hop on a bike whenever you need.

But, biking can also be dangerous — the U.S. Department of Transportation reported 743 bicyclists died in accidents involving motor vehicles in 2015, out of 32,719 total traffic fatalities.

We looked into state-by-state data to learn which states were most dangerous for bikers. Here are the top 10 states by death rate per capita for bikers.

10. Rhode Island

Bicyclist deaths per million people: 2.8 Bicycle fatalities last year: 3 Total traffic fatalities: 65

9. Georgia

Bicyclist deaths per million people: 2.8 Bicycle fatalities last year: 28 Total traffic fatalities: 1,179

8. New Hampshire

Bicyclist deaths per million people: 3 Bicycle fatalities last year: 4 Total traffic fatalities: 135

7. Maine

Bicyclist deaths per million people: 3 Bicycle fatalities last year: 4 Total traffic fatalities: 145

6. Louisiana

Bicyclist deaths per million people: 3 Bicycle fatalities last year: 14 Total traffic fatalities: 703

5. South Carolina

Bicyclist deaths per million people: 3.1 Bicycle fatalities last year: 15 Total traffic fatalities: 767

4. Oklahoma

Bicyclist deaths per million people: 3.4 Bicycle fatalities last year: 13 Total traffic fatalities: 678

3. California

Bicyclist deaths per million people: 3.7 Bicycle fatalities last year: 141 Total traffic fatalities: 3,000

2. Arizona

Bicyclist deaths per million people: 4.7 Bicycle fatalities last year: 31 Total traffic fatalities: 849

1. Florida

Bicyclist deaths per million people: 6.8 Bicycle fatalities last year: 133 Total traffic fatalities: 2,407

Whether you’re a seasoned rider or are starting out for the first time, you may want to consider purchasing bicycle insurance — it doesn't make the roads any safer, but could cover your medical bills and bike replacement if you get into an accident. In some cases, your renters insurance may already cover your bike if it gets damaged or stolen. Here’s a guide to how renters insurance personal property protection works with bikes.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis.

Image: andresr