New study: Wyoming leads motorcycle fatalities by state
Wyoming recorded the highest population-adjusted motorcyclist fatality rate among states in 2024 at 4.08 deaths per 100,000 residents, according to an analysis by Blakeley Law. The state reported 24 motorcyclist deaths that year. This rate stood 5.7 times higher than Rhode Island's despite Wyoming's comparatively low raw fatality count. Florida led the nation in total motorcyclist deaths.
The ten states with the highest rates were Wyoming at 4.08 deaths per 100,000 residents with 24 deaths and a 2024 population of 587,618; South Dakota at 3.57 with 33 deaths and 924,669 residents; Montana at 3.34 with 38 deaths and 1,137,233 residents; Arizona at 2.89 with 219 deaths and 7,582,384 residents; South Carolina at 2.81 with 154 deaths and 5,478,831 residents; Colorado at 2.77 with 165 deaths and 5,957,493 residents; Florida at 2.75 with 642 deaths and 23,372,215 residents; Nevada at 2.72 with 89 deaths and 3,267,467 residents; Tennessee at 2.60 with 188 deaths and 7,227,750 residents; and Oklahoma at 2.59 with 106 deaths and 4,095,393 residents.
The ten highest-rate states accounted for 1,658 motorcyclist fatalities, or 26.6 percent of the national total. Florida, Texas, and California together recorded 1,747 deaths, representing 28.1 percent of all U.S. motorcyclist fatalities. Five Mountain West states appeared in the top ten and recorded 535 deaths combined. The national average stood at 1.83 deaths per 100,000 residents. Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, and New Jersey each recorded fewer than 1.20 motorcyclist deaths per 100,000 residents.
When measured as the share of all traffic deaths involving motorcyclists, Colorado recorded 23.9 percent of its 689 traffic deaths as motorcyclist fatalities. South Dakota recorded 22.6 percent of its 146 traffic deaths, Wyoming 22.4 percent of its 107, Florida 20.5 percent of its 3,138, Montana 18.4 percent of its 206, and Rhode Island 15.4 percent of its 52. The national figure was 15.9 percent of 39,254 traffic deaths. Colorado's proportion exceeded Wyoming's even though Colorado ranked lower on the per-resident rate.
Wyoming, South Dakota, and Montana together recorded 95 motorcyclist deaths yet occupied the top three population-adjusted positions. The three states with the highest absolute fatality counts recorded 89 more deaths than the entire top-ten population-adjusted group combined. Small-population states therefore produced elevated rates while large-population states produced the highest raw totals.
Both Wyoming and Rhode Island maintain partial helmet requirements yet ranked at opposite ends of the population-adjusted list. Wyoming generally requires helmets only for riders aged 17 or younger. Rhode Island requires helmets for younger riders, all passengers, and operators during their first year of licensure. Nationally, NHTSA data show that approximately 66 percent of motorcyclist fatalities with known rural or urban classifications occurred in urban areas.
The analysis states that population-adjusted death rates measure fatalities relative to residents rather than the likelihood that an individual rider will die. Motorcycle registrations, miles traveled, road conditions, and visitor traffic would be required for a fuller assessment of exposure.
Wyoming transportation officials reported 247 motorcycle-involved crashes resulting in 17 deaths during 2025. Rhode Island's transportation department reported ten preliminary motorcyclist fatalities for the same year. These state figures provide updates after the 2024 federal benchmark established by NHTSA's July 2026 motorcycle safety report.
