The Most Dangerous City In America For Cyclists Is A California Destination With A 'Staggering' Fatality Rate

If you bike in America, there's one place that stands out for all the wrong reasons: Stockton, California. This city recently earned the grim title of the most dangerous city in the U.S. for cyclists — and the numbers are jaw-dropping. Experts at The Journal of Consumer Research analyzed the latest federal data on bicyclist fatalities in the country's 100 most populous metro areas.

Stockton had seven cyclist fatalities in 2023, which works out to about 2.18 cyclist deaths per 100,000 residents — that's more than six times the national average. Cyclists also make up a much larger share of the traffic fatalities in Stockton than in most U.S. cities. In this small West Coast city, about 20% of all car-crash fatalities involve cyclists, which is significantly higher than the typical U.S. figure of almost 3%.

So, what's going on in Stockton? A report by the University of California, Berkley highlights problems like very wide intersections, high posted speed limits, and many unmarked or uncontrolled crossings — all contributing to unsafe conditions for people walking or biking. Cities across the U.S. are promoting "active transportation" — like walking or biking — instead of driving everywhere, but many haven't fundamentally rebalanced the streets. "More people are being killed because cities are encouraging residents to walk and bike, but their roads are still dominated by fast-moving vehicular traffic," John Rennie Short, professor emeritus at the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, said in an interview with The Conversation. In other words, cities invite people to bike but fail to guarantee that biking will be safe.

If you're biking in Stockton, or any city for that matter, it's important to remain aware of your surroundings. There are a couple of tips that will help keep you safe on the road. First, avoid riding in low light without good reflective gear. Lights are must-have biking gear, and they should be fixed to both the front and back of your bike.

Next, make sure to choose routes that have bike lanes built in, or else choose roads with lower traffic speeds. Always assume drivers may not see you, so be as visible, as predictable, and as cautious as possible. Keep your bike well-maintained; you don't want mechanical failure to be the thing that tips a bad situation into tragedy. And remember that sharing the road goes both ways: Cyclists should follow driving rules, too, which means signaling turns, stopping at lights, and respecting right-of-way just like any other vehicle. Finally, don't be shy about making eye contact with drivers or signaling clearly so they know where you're going.

There is one silver lining for Stocktonians. In 2025, the San Joaquin Council of Governments approved $6.5 million to implement the Citywide Stockton Bicycle-Pedestrian Connectivity Project to improve infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists alike. Plus, the ongoing Downtown Stockton East-West Connection project will add more bike lanes and is expected to be ready to use by November 2026. Wondering what American cities are less treacherous for those who like to travel on two wheels? This West Coast city earned the number one ranking for cyclists in 2025 for stunning routes and bike-savvy design. Or, if you want to cycle through a different kind of terrain, try exploring Madison, Wisconsin, a lively city with miles of thrilling, scenic trails that has been crowned the "biking capital of the Midwest."