Originally Posted by FBinNY

Thanks for the chart. It's an interesting point in that it shows the accident rate declining. There are many possible reasons, from drivers simply getting more used to bicyclists, to changes in the average age, experience and skill of the riding population, to the infrastructure itself making roads safer.

Regardless of the cause or causes, the reduction in the rate is a good thing. That the rate reduction is enough to fully offset the increased numbers is an especially good thing,because it proves that there are ways to make bicycling safer. Of course there'll be endless debate about what accounts for the improvement.