Worth a thought-----More Bike Commuting, More Crashes & Skyrocketing Medical Bills | American Council on Science and Health

More Bike Commuting, More Crashes & Skyrocketing Medical Bills | American Council on Science and Health:
"Bike riding, either for pleasure or as a way to commute to and from work, continues to reach new heights in popularity. 
Cities and municipalities all over America are reconfiguring streets and roadways to accommodate existing riders, and to encourage non-riders to climb aboard to improve their fitness with added physical activity.

But given that cycling-related trips to hospitals and emergency departments across the country have increased dramatically, is it a fair question to ask:

Are the steep rise in accidents, and the billions of dollars in annual medical expenses and costs associated with them, worth this push towards expanded two-wheeled transportation?

This observation comes to the fore in the wake of a recent study of a 17-year period published in the journal Injury Prevention which stated that, "Each year, the total costs associated with non-fatal adult bicycle trauma increased by an average of $789 million," and that "Medical costs increased by 137% from $885 million in 1997 to $2.1 billion in 2013."...