24th Annual Ride of Silence: Tucson cyclists honor fallen riders, raise awareness for road safety

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Members of the Greater Arizona Bicycling Association (GABA) and the broader Tucson cycling community gathered at Reid Park Wednesday evening for the 24th Annual Ride of Silence, a quiet procession meant to honor cyclists killed or seriously injured on public roadways and to press for safer streets across the Tucson metro area.

VIDEO: Watch below aerial footage of the Ride of Silence, courtesy of BG Boyd:

Riders departed at 5:30 p.m. for a slow, solemn, 8.2-mile ride through city streets. Participants observed strict silence and kept a measured pace of about 8–10 mph, with organizers asking that there be no talking or music so the ride itself could stand as a moment of remembrance and solidarity.

The Ride of Silence is an international event held simultaneously in hundreds of cities worldwide to draw attention to cyclist safety and the need for everyone who uses the road to share it responsibly. In Arizona, organizers said the need is acute: preliminary data from the Arizona Department of Transportation show 33 bicyclist fatalities and 246 pedestrian deaths statewide in 2025, with the Tucson metro area bearing a disproportionate share of those losses.

This year, event organizers say 102 bicyclists participated. Event organizer Damion Alexander said in a statement, "Showing up matters. It matters to the families who have lost loved ones. It matters to injured riders who wonder if anyone cares. It matters to elected officials who need to see that this community is paying attention. And honestly, it matters for your own safety and mine."

GABA, Southern Arizona’s oldest and largest bicycling organization with more than 1,000 members, helped coordinate the local event. The group described the Ride of Silence as both a memorial and a public reminder to drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to prioritize safety and awareness on the road.

Founded in 2003, the Ride of Silence now takes place in more than 400 locations across seven continents and is traditionally held on the third Wednesday of May. The local event Wednesday was free and open to all who wished to participate, emphasizing respectful, contemplative riding as a way to honor victims and call for concrete improvements to roadway safety.