Bicycle Safety

Baby's First Year Milestones Slideshow

• Bicycle Safety Introduction
• Principles of Bicycle Safety
• Reasons for Bicycle Crashes
• Characteristics of Accident Victims
• Overuse Injuries
• Legislation Promoting Safety
• Safety in Off-Road Conditions
• Synonyms and Keywords
• References
• Authors and Editors

Bicycle Safety Introduction

Bicycling is a common means of transportation as well as an increasingly popular source of recreation, exercise, and sport. With more than 100 million bicycle owners, the popularity of bicycling has reached an all-time high.

• Along with increased use of bicycles comes the risk of significant injuries. According to national statistics, more than 1.8 billion bicycle outings occur each year, resulting in nearly 580,000 visits to Emergency Departments. Injuries attributable to bicycling range from common abrasions, cuts, and bruises to broken bones, internal injuries, head trauma, and even death.
  
  
• Almost 800 bicyclists die annually, and 20,000 are admitted to hospitals. From a statistical standpoint, bicycle riding has a higher death rate per trip or per mile of travel than being a passenger in an automobile.
  
  
• The most common cause of bicycle crashes is due to falls or collisions with stationary objects. Collisions involving motor vehicles account for 90% of all bicycle-related deaths and 10% of nonfatal injuries. The majority of these bicycle deaths are caused by head injuries.