Originally Posted by
Cyclebum
You can't totally avoid getting smashed while riding. The more you ride, the higher the odds you'll be hit one day. That's life.
Well, the longer you live, the greater likelihood you'll die someday?
Most mistakes tend to be made by novices, not the experienced, so the odds of rider-caused injuries are the greatest the less lifetime distance or shorter time one has ridden.
The next largest category of rider-caused injuries would be from experienced riders who don't maintain good practices and careful control (e.g., proper fitting helmet, sufficient sleep, equipment well-maintained, situational awareness, worst-case planning, predictable moves and signals, defensive lane control, and the like as others have already said).
Still, we can only do so much. No matter how visible one is, whether by highly visible blinking taillights, an array of sparklers, or even roman candles, a truck or car driver who falls asleep at the wheel or is drunk won't have time to notice and avoid.