Mountain Biking: Deadly?
Since I know several people who enjoy mountain biking, I began to wonder how many people have died from mountain biking. Although I couldn’t find any statistics specific to that question, I did find that there are about 1,000 bicycle related deaths in the U.S. each year, 75% of which are due to head injuries. Another reason to always wear a helmet (It’s mandatory for anyone under 16 years old to wear a helmet or risk getting a fine, or worse.)
Although I recently heard of one death of a college student in the West (where Utah mountain biking is common) and two someone else in the country, I don’t think mountain biking deaths are that common. I think most mountain bikers, since they like to take risks, end up getting hurt more often than dying as a result of a fall or accident.
I think that most cyclist deaths are caused by drivers who aren’t paying attention. My sister was run over and injured by an inattentive driver making a turn while my sister was biking over a crosswalk. I have even heard of drivers throwing beer, spitting, and pretending to hit bikers, rather than sharing the road with cyclists.
The best way to prevent accidents is to respect cyclists and to be an attentive driver. And if you’re a cyclist, know the risks, and proceed cautiously!