Cycling fatalities and injuries up in 2008

The 34 million vehicles on Britain’s roads travelled 3.1 billion fewer miles last year, the equivalent of 125,000 around-the-world trips or 33 times the distance between the Earth and the Sun. It was the biggest decrease on record.

The fall contributed to a record reduction in road deaths, which fell by more than 400 to 2,610 in the 12 months to the end of September 2008. The number killed fell by the same amount in one year as it had over the whole of the previous five years. Cyclists were the only type of road user among whom deaths and serious injuries increased, possibly because of an increase in inexperienced riders seeking a cheaper alternative to car travel.

Footnote

See the post above on 'Ben Goldacre's bad statistic' for a sceptical analysis of cycling injury statistics.