Isn't bicycling dangerous?

“Isn’t bicycling dangerous?” is the number one question I get asked by folks when they see me in the hallways with my helmet when I’m arriving at work or leaving for the day.
My answer is a pretty simple one, “Not particularly.”
And that’s true. Cycling is safe if the rider, that would be me or you, rides safely. However, as with any other form of transportation, there are risks. It would be senseless not tor recognize this fact.
Last year (2008) in Hawaii there were two bicycle fatalities. That certainly isn’t good and I don’t know all the details about the deaths, but both were killed by hit and run drivers.
Nationally there were 716 bicycle fatalities in 2008. Again, that’s not good. But looking at the numbers a bit more shows this…
“Over one-fourth (28%) of the pedalcyclists killed had a BAC of .01 g/dL or higher, and nearly one-fourth (23%) had a BAC of .08 g/dL or higher.” (NHTSA 2008 Traffic Safety Facts)
Drinking and driving kills, whether you are on a bicycle or driving a car. If those cyclist are taken out of the equation there would only have been far fewer deaths.
As for safe riding, it’s impossible to know exactly how many accidents, fatal or otherwise, are caused by improper riding, especially doings things like riding against traffic instead of with traffic or not using lights at night, but my guess is that improper riding is probaby responsible for the majority of accidents.
Route planning also plays a big part in safety. Most of the folks asking me if cycling is dangerous are imagining me riding on the roads they commute on in their cars. Generally I stick to roads with far less traffic or that are marked for bicycles, like Young St., and ride on bike paths when they are available.
Ultimately it seems to me that it is possible to ride safely and it is possible to ride unsafely, we see people do it all the time. People also drive dangerously. But for those of us who ride safely, obey the law, and cooperate with traffic instead of fighting it, cycling is a very safe and very green alternative to driving.
Further, the health benefits are enormous. I’ve lost a full 25% of my body weight in 18 months and my stamina has improved dramatically. When I first hopped back on a bike 18 months ago I had a hard time riding the 1.5 miles home from the bike shop. Today I regularly ride the 60+ miles from my home to Kailua and back.
Is it dangerous to ride a bike? For me it would be dangerous not to do so.
Aloha!