Is bike commuting dangerous?

Honestly, I think it’s a misconception. The following statistic comes from the National Safety Council, “An average of 16.5 cyclists per million die every year in the U.S. (For motorists, it's 19.9 motorists per million.)”. On more than one occasion, I have had family members and friends try to discourage me from cycling. Sometimes it's because I'll be riding alone in an unknown area, which makes some sense. Other times they worry about me riding with traffic.

The problem I have is that some people assume that cycling on roads from point A to point B is more dangerous than driving my car from that same point A to point B. But some statistics say that cycling is actually less dangerous than driving? These people also don't take into account the many benefits of cycling.

I think what people forget is that A) driving is pretty darned dangerous; B) cycling has mental and physical health benefits. About 4 years ago I was diagnosed with dangerously high cholesterol levels. I was encouraged to change my diet, AND exercise, AND start taking medication to reduce my cholesterol levels. I tried running, but I kept getting injured. So I hopped on the bike and have been riding ever since.

That brings up a good point though. If I was not commuting on my bike, I would likely not have time to ride or exercise (or I might not make time), and my health would probably be worse. How much higher would my health risks be if I were not cycling? Would I be more or less likely to die earlier as a result of bad health or as a result of a cycling accident? What would my quality of life be if I were driving all the time instead of cycling some of that time?

So what is my point? Don’t tell me cycling is dangerous. In my opinion, my life will be longer and of a better quality as a result of bike commuting and bike riding than it would be if I were driving my “safe” car to and from work and sitting on my “safe” couch increasing my sedentary girth.

That being said, I need to stop wimping out on rainy days and driving to work instead of biking.