Bicycle accident: the laws and the numbers.

Each state treats a person riding on a roadway like the driver of a vehicle, with special rules for bicycles. Below are the main provisions as written. Tennessee text is as reproduced by FindLaw, current as of January 2, 2024; the others were read on the legislature or court-network sites on November 9, 2026. Cities may add their own rules, and e-bikes have separate rules we do not cover here.

Tennessee

• Rights and duties. A person riding a bicycle on a roadway "is granted all of the rights and is subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle," except provisions that by their nature cannot apply [1].
• Where to ride. A bicyclist going slower than traffic must "ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway," with exceptions such as passing, preparing for a left turn, or avoiding hazards including a lane too narrow to share [2]. No more than two abreast [2].
• Passing distance. A motor vehicle passing a bicycle in the same direction "shall leave a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than three feet." [2] A violation is a Class C misdemeanor [2].
• Helmets. It is unlawful for "any person under sixteen (16) years of age to operate or be a passenger on a bicycle" without a protective helmet [3].

Alabama

• Rights and duties. A person riding a bicycle on a roadway "shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle." [4]
• Where to ride. Ride "as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable," no more than two abreast [5]. Where a usable path for bicycles is adjacent to a roadway, riders "shall use such path and shall not use the roadway." [5]
• Passing distance. When passing a bicycle, a safe distance means "not less than three feet" on a roadway with a marked bicycle lane, or on one with a speed limit of 45 mph or less and no double yellow line [6]. That rule applies "only when a cyclist is riding within two feet of the right shoulder of the roadway." [6]
• Helmets. The bicycle safety article requires "all operators and passengers who are under 16 years of age to wear approved protective bicycle helmets." [7]

Oklahoma

• Rights and duties. A person riding a bicycle on a roadway "shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this title." [8]
• Where to ride. A bicyclist going slower than traffic must "ride as close as is safe to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway," with listed exceptions [9].
• Passing distance. On a one-lane road, a driver "shall not overtake or pass a bicycle at a distance of less than three (3) feet between any part of the motor vehicle and any part of the bicycle or its operator." [10] With more than one lane the driver moves to the lane to the left if available and reasonably safe [10].

South Carolina

• Rights and duties. A person riding a bicycle on a roadway "must be granted all of the rights and is subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle." [11]
• Bicycle lanes. Where a bicycle lane is provided, drivers "may not block the bicycle lane to oncoming bicycle traffic and shall yield to a bicyclist in the bicycle lane before entering or crossing the lane," and bicyclists must ride in the lane except to pass or avoid an obstruction [11] [11].
• Where to ride. Ride "as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable," and the rider may but need not use the shoulder [11].
• Passing distance. South Carolina sets no number of feet: a driver "must at all times maintain a safe operating distance between the motor vehicle and a bicycle." [11]

For helmets, Oklahoma and South Carolina: we did not find a statewide bicycle helmet statute in the sections we read, and we do not say none exists. Who is at fault in a crash depends on the facts and on each state's fault rules; an attorney can explain how they apply to you. In the District of Columbia, a bicyclist hit by a motor vehicle is not barred by their own negligence unless it is greater than the defendants' combined; see the fault table. See also pedestrian accidents.

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The full list for all states is in our data file. Source: NHTSA FARS, CrashFirst analysis.

These are counts. A big state with many riders will have more deaths than a small one, so counts do not show where riding is most dangerous. That takes a rate, which needs a population. NHTSA publishes 2023 rates per 100,000 people:

Source: NHTSA Table 6, 2023 FARS and Census population [12] [12] [12] [12]. NHTSA says Florida had the highest rate, then Louisiana (0.77), against a national rate of 0.35 [12]. Rates per rider, which would account for how many people cycle, are not available from these sources.