Harris County has the highest number of cyclist deaths in Texas during the busiest months for riding, according to a new analysis of federal crash data.
The report found Texas averages 48 cyclist fatalities during peak riding season each year, roughly one death every four days.
Between 2020 and 2024, Harris County recorded the highest average in the state, with 11 cyclist deaths each year during those peak riding months.
Safety advocates say many of those crashes are preventable and are calling for safer infrastructure and more attentive drivers.
BikeHouston Executive Director Joe Cutrufo said the biggest obstacle preventing more people from riding bicycles in Houston is safety.
“The single biggest barrier to getting on a bike is the fear of drivers,” Cutrufo said. “Cars are bigger than they’ve ever been, drivers are more distracted than they have ever been, and our streets are accommodating more and more traffic, but not accommodating people outside of cars.”
Cutrufo said cyclists are especially vulnerable because they lack the protection that motorists have.
“We have a real safety problem. Bicyclists are made out of flesh and bone, unlike people in cars who are surrounded by a steel cage, so even a minor crash involving a cyclist could be a fatal crash,” he said.
BikeHouston says more people are choosing to bike for transportation and recreation, but many are forced to ride alongside fast-moving traffic because protected bike lanes do not connect across the city.
The organization points to distracted driving, speeding and increasingly larger vehicles as key factors contributing to serious and fatal crashes.
Advocates say expanding connected, protected bike lanes would not only improve safety for current cyclists but also encourage more people to choose biking as a transportation option.
“There’s an enormous interest in riding bikes more. People want to have options, but if the streets don’t safely accommodate them, people aren’t going to ride,” Cutrufo said.
BikeHouston is urging drivers to:
- Slow down, especially on roads shared with cyclists.
- Put away cell phones and avoid distracted driving.
- Give cyclists plenty of space when passing.