Toe-straps can be a hazard too if #1 . they're done up tight in traffic or #2 . the toe-strap gets caught between two straps on bicycling shoes. That's why I don't wear shoes with two or more closure straps when I use toe-straps.

As far as Clipless pedals go, I think that they are safe enough but take getting used to to become second nature. Someone told me that it's hard to go from toe-clips to clipless because one still wants to pull out of the pedal rather than twist out. I just found it hard to twist out of a clipless pedal if my foot was at the highest point of the pedal stroke. In a panic stop I'd often be leaning the wrong way and before I could disengage my low foot, I'd fall over. YMMV

Cheers