A new ranking lists Stockton as America’s most deadly city for bicyclists.
But Stockton police say that with the statistics in the study based on 2023, they have made steady progress in cutting the cyclist death rate.
Two years ago, 20% of traffic fatalities involved cyclists, according to the analysis of accident data in Consumer Affairs, a unit of the Journal of Consumer Research. By comparison, bicyclists made up only 2.9% of traffic deaths nationwide.
Stockton’s leading position was followed by New Orleans; Tampa, Florida; Sacramento; and Tucson, Arizona, rounding out the top five most deadly cities for two-wheelers.
As troubling as the finding sounds, one reason that Stockton’s rate was so high is that the number of traffic fatalities in 2023 was, by comparison, relatively low: five bicyclists died that year among 25 overall traffic fatalities, Stockton police say. There were another five bike riders killed in 2024, but the rate fell because there were more overall traffic deaths, at 32.
This year, however, there’s been no bicyclists killed among 13 traffic accident fatalities, said Officer Omer Edhah, a police spokesperson.
“With the increase of traffic officers and the newly established dedicated bicycle lanes, we have seen a significant decrease in bicyclist fatalities,” Edhah said. “Less overall traffic fatalities equals more time officers have to be visible and address driving behaviors.”
In most cases — as many as four out of five — bicyclists were found to be at fault when it came to fatal accidents, he added.
Stockton produced a bicycle master plan eight years ago that called for a big increase in bike lanes and routes of various types. Some would be striping along the side of streets while others were fancier, dedicated separated bikeways. The plan came with a massive price tag: $163.9 million in the short-term and $309.4 million long-term.
Edhah said his department has used its social media platforms and website to stress bike safety, whether cyclists are using bike lanes or trails or not. A Teaching Not Tickets campaign is aimed at educating cyclists, drivers and pedestrians alike about traffic safety practices.
The education campaigns have included people experiencing homelessness, some of whom are dependent on bikes for transportation. Edhah said pamphlets highlight the importance of staying visible and alert to one’s surroundings to promote personal safety while walking or bicycling.