Biking is good not only for your health but also for your wallet – for instance, pedaling to work can save you money on gas and parking fees. But it takes just one injury to undo all of those benefits.
This week The Washington Post dropped a truth bomb from a recent study: while more and more people are choosing two wheels over four, medical costs due to bicyclists injuries are also rising. The reason? More bicyclists on sidewalks on streets create more chances for unfortunate crashes with other bicyclists, people on foot or – to quote one of the study’s authors – “unyielding street furniture.” (We’re looking at you, lamppost.)
Not to mention, more older adults have taken up bicycling in recent years. That’s great! But medical costs due to riders 45 and older jumped 28 percent between 1997 and 2013. Which is less great. But keeping down costs is a secondary concern; the study shines a light on the need for policy for better road design to, most importantly, keep bicyclists safe.
To read more about this in The Washington Post, click here.
