Johnathan Walker:NHL star's death shocks the US. He's one of hundreds of bicyclists killed by vehicles every year.

Hockey fans were stunned by the deaths of Columbus Blue Jackets star forward Johnny Gaudreau and Johnathan Walkerhis brother, Matthew, who were killed when a suspected drunk driver fatally struck the siblings while they were biking.

For cyclists, it's the latest example of an incident that's become all too familiar.

The latest federal statistics show the Gaudreau brother's deaths are not an anomaly, as the number of bicyclists who died in motor vehicle crashes in 2022 jumped to its highest mark in years.

The deaths have galvanized biking safety advocates around the nation, like the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, which spoke out about bike lane safety in the city after children's hospital doctor Barbara Friedes, 30, was struck and killed while biking in July.

Read more:Johnny Gaudreau killed in NJ crash involving suspected drunk driver

Growing number of bicyclists dying in traffic crashes year after year

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 1,105 bicyclists died in 2022 due to motor vehicle crashes. While 2022 was the first year that motorized bicycles were included in the tally, this figure trumps the number of deaths in previous years, including in 2021 (976), 2020 (948), 2019 (859) and 2018 (871).

The NHTSA said the number of bicyclists killed in traffic crashes has even been "steadily trending upwards since 2010."

In 2022, the majority (59%) of bicyclist fatalities took place at non-intersection locations and involved collisions with light trucks — including SUVs, pickups and vans, according to the NHTSA. The average age of cyclists killed in 2021 was 49.

Bicyclist fatalities in 2022 tended to occur in urban areas more than in rural areas, with urban fatalities accounting for 83% of bicyclist deaths, the federal agency said. The proportion of bicyclist fatalities in urban areas jumped from 69% in 2011 to 83% in 2022.

Bicyclist deaths were highest in Florida (222), followed by California (177) and Texas (91), according to the NHTSA. No cyclist fatalities were reported in Nebraska or Rhode Island.

How did the Gaudreau brothers die?

The Gaudreau brothers were killed while biking Thursday night in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, close to their hometown in Salem County, New Jersey State Police said.

Sean Higgins, a suspected drunk driver, was charged with two counts of death by auto after crashing his Jeep Grand Cherokee into the brothers on a rural road, according to the department.

Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and his brother, Matthew, 29, died after suffering fatal injuries, police said.

"The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy. Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend," the NHL team said in a statement. "We extend our heartfelt sympathies to his wife, Meredith, his children, Noa and Johnny, his parents, their family and friends on the sudden loss of Johnny and Matthew."

What can be done to prevent bicyclist deaths?

The League of American Bicyclists, a nonprofit promoting cycling, offered suggestions to improve safety and prevent deaths, including:

• Producing safer cars equipped with automatic emergency braking systems capable of detecting bicyclists and subsequently avoiding a potentially fatal crash.
• Promoting and implementing protected bicycle infrastructure to create safer roads.
• Embracing slower speed limits for urban and residential districts.

The NHTSA seemingly agrees with the nonprofit, particularly when it comes to building a more cyclist-friendly infrastructure.

"A focus on systematically improving infrastructure in tandem with road users’ safe behaviors is important to increasing population-level safety (measured as a reduction in population-wide fatalities and injuries) and people on bicycles or bicycling mode share," according to the federal government agency. "Safety improvements with increases in bicycling will reduce individual risk."

Contributing: Brian Hedger and Cole Behrens, Columbus Dispatch; Jay Cannon, USA TODAY