Originally Posted by
cyccommute
I have 599 different routes from home to work and back work that vary from 18 miles (the shortest) to just about any mileage I want. Most of the time, I ride the same route but not always. I've never found that riding the same route all the time has anything to do with "safety".
On my route I've come to know almost all the potholes, ruts, large road debris, and other hazards that are lurking in the dark waiting for me to run over it. So the familiarity allows me to effectively avoid them. So in this sense, it does improve your safety.