Death rates bicycling - statistics wanted

[Ron Wallenfang]

There have been periodic threads on this topic over the years, with
some people maintaining bicycling is a hazardous activity, while
others have cited statistics showing the contrary. IIRC, death rates
from bicycling are of the same order of magnitude as for driving a
car. Again, IIRC, riding a bicycle was about twice as safe per hour
and half as safe per mile as driving a car.

Can anyone point me to the relevant statistics, and the
organization(s) that compiled them? I want to write a letter to the
editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel responding to an article that
used 2 recent and tragic deaths of bike riders who were rear-ended by
drunken or careless drivers, to suggest that bicycling was unusually
dangerous. It's the kind of article that will not help get more
people on bicycles!

[Frank Krygowski]

On Jul 26, 6:26*pm, Ron Wallenfang <rwallenf...@wi.rr.com> wrote:
> There have been periodic threads on this topic over the years, with
> some people maintaining bicycling is a hazardous activity, while
> others have cited statistics showing the contrary. *IIRC, death rates
> from bicycling are of the same order of magnitude as for driving a
> car. *Again, IIRC, riding a bicycle was about twice as safe per hour
> and half as safe per mile as driving a car.
>
> Can anyone point me to the relevant statistics, and the
> organization(s) that compiled them? *I want to write a letter to the
> editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel responding to an article that
> used 2 recent and tragic deaths of bike riders who were rear-ended by
> drunken or careless drivers, to suggest that bicycling was unusually
> dangerous. *It's the kind of article that will not help get more
> people on bicycles!

There are several sources listed in these two articles:

http://www.bicyclinglife.com/SafetySkills/SafetyQuiz.htm

and

http://www.bicyclinglife.com/Library/SteppingStones.htm

I hope those will do.

- Frank Krygowski

[asjrb]

On Jul 26, 5:26*pm, Ron Wallenfang <rwallenf...@wi.rr.com> wrote:
> There have been periodic threads on this topic over the years, with
> some people maintaining bicycling is a hazardous activity, while
> others have cited statistics showing the contrary. *IIRC, death rates
> from bicycling are of the same order of magnitude as for driving a
> car. *Again, IIRC, riding a bicycle was about twice as safe per hour
> and half as safe per mile as driving a car.
>
> Can anyone point me to the relevant statistics, and the
> organization(s) that compiled them? *I want to write a letter to the
> editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel responding to an article that
> used 2 recent and tragic deaths of bike riders who were rear-ended by
> drunken or careless drivers, to suggest that bicycling was unusually
> dangerous. *It's the kind of article that will not help get more
> people on bicycles!

Try the Wi DOT site. Here is a link to a report they have produced...
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/library/research/docs/finalreports/05-18bicycle-f.pdf


Also check out August's edition of Silent Sports. It contains an
editorial item in which Tom Held sites some stats on bicycle
fatalities.