Author and business expert Stephen Covey, whose 7 Habits of Highly Effective People sold more than 20 million copies, has died at the age of 79.

He passed away on Monday at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center from injuries he suffered in a bicycle accident in April.

A statement by Covey's family said: "In his final hours, he was surrounded by his loving wife and each one (of) his children and their spouses, just as he always wanted."

Covey, who would have turned 80 in October, was founder of a Salt Lake City-based business that evolved into FranklinCovey, a multi million-dollar corporate consulting, training and publication enterprise, according to the firm's website.

As well as being a best-selling author and businessman, Covey was a professor at the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University.

He has been described as "one of the world's foremost leadership authorities, organizational experts and thought leaders."

Covey was named one of the world's top 50 business thinkers in 2011.