James Burleigh
Well-known member
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology, July 15, 2007
Single Most Dangerous Way to Commute
The single most dangerous way to commute to work or even make a quick trip to the store is by motorcycle. Bicycling and walking aren't all that safe, either.
That's the word from researchers at the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, who analyzed data from the 1999 to 2003 National Household Travel Survey and determined that a motorcyclist is 58 times more likely to be fatally injured on a trip than are occupants of passenger vehicles.
Reuters reports that bicyclists and pedestrians are 2.3 and 1.5 times more likely, respectively, to experience a fatal injury than those who ride in passenger vehicles.
The safest mode of transportation appears to be the bus--as long as you don't count the fact that most people have to walk to the bus stop and in so doing increase their risk of fatal injury as a pedestrian.
"Measures that prevent crashes and injuries for pedestrians and bicyclists are needed, especially given the recent focus on increasing physical activity through active travel," the researchers report in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
It's a vicious catch-22. We're fat because we don't walk, but if we walk in cities and towns, we risk fatal injuries.
Other findings:
* Overall, there were more than 42,000 fatal traffic injuries and just over 3 million nonfatal traffic injuries each year during the study period.
* The most injuries, both fatal and nonfatal, involved passengers of cars, vans, light trucks and other types of passenger vehicles.
* The most fatalities occurred among motorcyclists.
* Bus riders accounted for the fewest number of injuries.
* People ages 15 to 24 have the highest risk of fatal injury.
* Seniors 65 years and older have a high risk of fatal injury, particularly when they walk or ride the bus.
* Men are more likely to have a fatal injury than women.
Single Most Dangerous Way to Commute
The single most dangerous way to commute to work or even make a quick trip to the store is by motorcycle. Bicycling and walking aren't all that safe, either.
That's the word from researchers at the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, who analyzed data from the 1999 to 2003 National Household Travel Survey and determined that a motorcyclist is 58 times more likely to be fatally injured on a trip than are occupants of passenger vehicles.
Reuters reports that bicyclists and pedestrians are 2.3 and 1.5 times more likely, respectively, to experience a fatal injury than those who ride in passenger vehicles.
The safest mode of transportation appears to be the bus--as long as you don't count the fact that most people have to walk to the bus stop and in so doing increase their risk of fatal injury as a pedestrian.
"Measures that prevent crashes and injuries for pedestrians and bicyclists are needed, especially given the recent focus on increasing physical activity through active travel," the researchers report in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
It's a vicious catch-22. We're fat because we don't walk, but if we walk in cities and towns, we risk fatal injuries.
Other findings:
* Overall, there were more than 42,000 fatal traffic injuries and just over 3 million nonfatal traffic injuries each year during the study period.
* The most injuries, both fatal and nonfatal, involved passengers of cars, vans, light trucks and other types of passenger vehicles.
* The most fatalities occurred among motorcyclists.
* Bus riders accounted for the fewest number of injuries.
* People ages 15 to 24 have the highest risk of fatal injury.
* Seniors 65 years and older have a high risk of fatal injury, particularly when they walk or ride the bus.
* Men are more likely to have a fatal injury than women.
