Edinburgh Southsiders, put your bikes away, it's dangerous

[snibgo]

total number of casualties for car users :143412
total number of casualties for cyclists :17064

Yes.

In 2009:
- bikes rode 3.1 billion miles
- cars travelled 249 billion miles

On average, say, bikes go at 10 mph; cars at 60 mph.
Then bikes travel for 0.31 b hours; cars for 4.15 b hours.

The ratio of hours travelled is roughly 1:10, which is about the same as the ratio of casualties.

[hubgearfreak]

On average, say, bikes go at 10 mph; cars at 60 mph.

many, if not most car journies, are from one part of a city to another. the majority of people who take their kids to school or who go to work are probably averaging not much more than a cycle. i seem to recall 11mph?

[snibgo]

As the casualty and mileage rates are UK totals, the speeds should also be UK average. But the ratio of 6:1 is my own guess. (Most car mileage is done on fast roads.) Note that the overall equivalence is per hour, not per mile. For a given mileage, car occupants will suffer about six-fold fewer casulaties.

There might be more specific statistics somewhere on casualty rates (and long-term health) of school-run journeys. I guess the casualty rates would favour cars even more, but long-term health benefits would massively favour cyclists.

[Ellieb]

I think the avearge car speed is given as 26mph