Cycling is safer than gardening
Warwickshire County Council wants to raise public awareness around how safe it actually is to cycle.
Many people in Warwickshire choose not to cycle despite the overall health benefits because they worry about how safe it is.
Recent reports from AposTherapy claim that bank holiday pursuits are more harmful than other activities that people perceive as dangerous such as cycling. For instance, one in ten people are injured while gardening, eight times as many as those hurt while cycling.
Cycling on the roads is as safe as driving, is safer than swimming and is 12 times safer than playing football.
Laura Vesty, Sustainable Travel Officer at the council, said: “It’s not that gardening or playing football aren’t safe it’s just that we always think of them as being normal, unrisky activites and that’s the same way we should think of cycling.
“The health benefits of cycling are far greater than the risks. People that regularly cycle have a 40% lower overall mortality rate and are said to live around 10 years longer.”
The County Council offers children and adults cycle training to improve their confidence cycling on the road. People who want more information on starting cycling can visit the Council’s web site http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/startoutcycling