If you regularly ride a bicycle, it is very important for you to think about safety at all times when you are on the road. Bicycle accidents can happen for many different reasons, whether a reckless driver causes a crash, or a bicyclist fails to use common sense. However, some areas may be more dangerous than others when it comes to riding a bike. For example, you may wonder whether you are safer riding in a rural area or in an urban location.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has published helpful data on fatal bicycle accidents that occur across the country. According to the NHTSA, data from 2010 to 2015 shows that a majority of bicyclist fatalities occurred on urban roads, as opposed to rural roadways. During this period, 69.6 percent of bicyclist fatalities were in an urban environment, while 30.4 percent were in rural areas.
While these years saw more bicyclist fatalities in urban areas, there are a number of things to keep in mind. For example, some urban locations may have far more bicyclists in comparison to rural areas. Urban areas can be very hectic and may present a wide variety of hazards for bicyclists. However, riding in the countryside can be dangerous as well, so it is essential to be cautious wherever you decide to ride your bicycle. Many lives have been lost as a result of these collisions and even when a crash does not prove fatal, an injured bicyclist may be unable to work or experience other major problems.
