Cycling is an omnipresent sport and over 85 million Americans ride it every day or at least occasionally. But the problem addressed is the “dangerousness” that is present everywhere and makes bicyclists vulnerable to injuries. In 2009, 630 bicyclists were killed and over 51,000 were injured and the cyclist injuries statistics continue to fluctuate as of 2011 in the United States.
Mostly injuries occur due to crashes with cars on intersections and open roads, where drivers fail to see upcoming cyclists. The fact that sports like cycling can be done almost everywhere causes people to be more vulnerable to injuries, unlike sports that need to be played in a field or a stadium. Statistics stated that over two thirds of the fatalities were on open road, and other charts showed that 59% of bicycle injuries occurred at intersections. A college student who drove backwards when a cyclists crashed on her car stated, “It’s practically impossible to see a cyclist on a street or a road when they suddenly charge at you or the car moves and the cyclist doesn’t notice it…then CRASH.”
Most cyclists are more susceptible to injuries than drivers. It is estimated that of the 14,000 collisions, 50 cyclists died but no drivers were killed. A big problem that is surrounding the country is people’s ignorance towards the law of wearing a helmet, which reduces the risk of head injuries by 74-85 percent.
Reckless and irresponsible cyclists also cause some impact on pedestrians mentally. Tony Armstrong, chief executive of Living Streets which represents pedestrians, commented, “Although fatalities are recorded, there is no way of measuring how many people have been intimidated or left feeling vulnerable by irresponsible cycling.”
As of 2011, the cyclist injuries statistics continue to fluctuate up and down in the levels and it is highly reccomended to wear not just helmets but more safety equipment when cycling to reduce the risk of injuries in accidents.
