The follow six points were attached to a Cycling Promotion Fund (CPF) news release and I thought they made interesting reading. Point four I found especially interesting as it is yet other example of how believing that using a car makes things safer is a false assumption.
1. Before winning 24 medals at the Commonwealth Games, Australia won 10 medals including six gold at the Athens Olympics.
2. Cycling is the fourth highest participation recreation activity in Australia with more than 1.6 million people aged 15 years or older riding in 2004 – an increase of 15.3% on 2001.
3. 62% of children between 5 and 14 years ride bicycles.
4. 44% of children killed in traffic accidents in 2003 where an occupant of a motor vehicle, whereas 5% children killed in traffic accidents were riding a bicycle.
5. The lowest bicycle injury rate per km travelled by bike is in the Netherlands whereas the highest injury rate is in the USA which has one of the lowest levels of cycling.
6. If 60% of primary school children would cycle or walk to school, Victorian families would save $8.8million each year by avoiding the use of their car.