The new study, which looked at outcomes over 10 years, shows those fears aren’t unreasonable – commuting by bike is associated with an increased risk of admission to hospital for injury, with 7 per cent of cyclists experiencing such an injury compared to 4.3 per cent of non-cyclists. Squint a bit, and you can turn that into the “50 per cent more likely” figure mentioned above.
But Paul Welsh at the University of Glasgow in the UK, who led the study and who cycles himself, says the risk of death from cycling injury is vanishingly small. In fact, it is far outweighed by the decreased risk of death that comes from the increased physical activity and lower BMI of cyclists. “The data are still very much in favour of cycling for those who are capable of doing so,” says Welsh.
Cyclists have a far lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and death compared with people who drive, take public transport or walk to work – a finding supported by this and previous studies. If an extra 1000 people took up cycling for 10 years, we would expect to see 15 fewer cancers, four fewer heart attacks or strokes and three fewer deaths in that group.
Sometimes, people online and in real life ask why I complain about unsafe or lacking bicycle infrastructure but continue to put myself at risk by cycling. Is it worth it? Yes it is. Even from the perspective of self-preservation, cycling is safer than driving. I’d just like it to be even safer, and make it so that more people can benefit.
Thanks for posting. I cycle everywhere even though I am also terrified of getting hit by a car. My brother’s friend got killed that way. One thing that the statistics don’t tell you is that you can reduce your chances of injury by being super careful. Look all around you, assume that every car on the road is trying to kill you, and do your best not to even get into their path whenever you can avoid it. If you see a motorist driving dangerously in your vicinity, just get off the road. That on top of all the normal advice like, you know, always wear a helmet, don’t cycle at night without lights, etc.
That’s my thought too. My friends and acquaintances who cycle the most haven’t had a single accident in years. Defensive cycling is a skill.
It’s like that line from gun safety: “Every gun is loaded.” Every car will not stop or follow the rules. They will blow through stop signs and lights. Turn without looking. If you treat every car that way and adjust your trajectory and speed accordingly, the chance of an accident is tiny.
Many towns have put money and effort into bike/pedestrian paths. Using those I can usually avoid a majority of car traffic. Actively choosing less traffic’d routes should also improve safety.