Everyone is looking for ways to become more healthy. Many believe that a way to embrace good health is by walking or biking more and driving less. However, according to a recent study conducted in the UK, it may actually be more dangerous to bicycle to work than to drive.
The AZ Family recently reported on its website that researchers from Scotland’s University of Glasgow examined the hospital and other records of over 230,000 commuters from around the UK. They compared the injury of bicyclists as opposed to those who were injured in other ways. Of those records, just over 5,700 of those records indicated that they traveled mainly by bicycle.
The data indicated that while bicyclists were 45% more likely to get into an accident as compared to other forms of transportation, there were marked health benefits from the exercise. The health benefits included a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, or premature death.
On the negative side, the report indicated an increased risk of injury to arms, legs and torso, a higher chance of suffering from a broken limb, and injuries to the head and neck.
Paul Welsh, who serves as a senior lecturer at the Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences at Glasgow University, told reporters during a press conference that one way to help prevent such injuries is for governments to take a more active role. By painting bicycle lanes such as those found in Amsterdam in Copenhagen, Welsh suggested, more people feel safer about bicycling and take to the road on their bikes instead of their cars.