Study shows bicyclists lower risk

Pantagraph.com: Study shows bicyclists lower risk

By Scott Richardson | Posted: Sunday, October 2, 2011

Some people might be surprised by the findings of a study that concludes cities with a high volume of bicycling generally have a lower risk of fatal or severe crashes for all road users.

Researchers think while changes in road infrastructure to accommodate cyclists might calm traffic, the mere presence of bicyclists in large numbers causes vehicles to reduce speeds.

As cyclists rise in number, a threshold may be reached that compels cars to drive more slowly.

The study by the University of Colorado looked at crash data from 24 California cities for an 11-year period ending in 2007.