How many people are killed/injured riding bikes?

The loss of 698 lives in bicycle/motor vehicle crashes in 2007, just under two people every day of the year in the U.S., is a terrible toll. While lower than the 814 fatalities in 1997, bicycling crash were on the rise just a few years ago. These numbers represent 2 percent of the total number of people killed and injured in traffic crashes in 2007. The number of reported injuries involving bicyclists has followed a similar trend, from 68,000 in 1993 to 41,000 in 2003, only to rise again in 2005. Fortunately, the 43,000 reported injuries in 2007 represents another decline. However, we know from research into hospital records that only a fraction of bicycle crashes causing injury are ever recorded by the police, possibly as low as ten percent.

http://www.bicyclinginfo.org/facts/crash-facts.cfm

Superb Idea: Bike Lane That Travels With You

• Posted by: Zach Frechette
• on January 15, 2009 at 3:01 pm

As we look for ways to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and find viable transportation alternatives to the internal combustion engine, many urbanites are turning to that staple of bipedal locomotion: the humble bicycle. While ridership is increasing every year, bicycle safety remains a huge issue: in 2007, 43,000 people were injured in bike accidents, resulting in 698 deaths. Though many cities are getting serious about making bike-friendly infrastructure changes, installing bike lanes is a costly porposition with a glacial pace of implementation.
Enter LightLane, a safety concept from the clever designers at Altitude, Inc. The system projects a virtual bike lane (using lasers!) on the ground around the cyclists, providing drivers with a recognizable boundary they can easily avoid. The idea is to allow riders to take safety into their own hands, rather than leaving it to the city. And just in case you need to be convinced about the need for better cycle saftey, watch this video about the stupidest bike lane in America.

http://www.good.is/?p=14716