Cycling is common in the Bowling Green area for many reasons. A lot of people simply ride to stay in shape. Others ride on trails and city streets simply for the enjoyment of it, as cycling is a hobby that they like to put their time and energy into. Still other people ride their bikes as a means of commuting to and from work, at least when the weather permits.
But how safe is it? You’ll be glad to know that there are safety steps that are being taken to ensure that riders can enjoy cycling with as low of a risk as possible. But that doesn’t mean there’s no risk to engaging in this activity overall.
Themed rides
For example, the city of Bowling Green offers themed “slow rolls” every month. The city also offers educational rides, buddy rides and other options. These give people a valuable chance to practice riding on city streets. The city also offers instructions for how to stay safe, such as making recommendations concerning cycling speed and helmet usage.
How safe do people feel?
One interesting thing to note is that recent studies have asked cyclists how safe they feel when they ride around Bowling Green. The majority do feel both safe and comfortable when using their bicycles. However, roughly a quarter said that they did not, and they also reported that it impacted how much they go cycling. Essentially, if they felt safer, they would use their bikes more.
Urban fatalities are less likely
One way to look at safety is simply by considering the number of fatal bicycling accidents in Kentucky every year. Interestingly, you’ll find that urban areas tend to be safer than rural areas. For example, in 2020, there were 400 cycling fatalities in rural areas and only 362 in urban areas. This trend has been even more pronounced in other years. In 2016, for instance, there were 607 rural fatalities and only 226 urban fatalities.
This does suggest that Bowling Green itself is going to be safer than rural parts of the state. However, it’s also clear that hundreds of fatal car accidents happen within the state every year, and many more lead to serious injuries. Those involved need to make sure they understand all of their legal options by seeking legal guidance proactively.