Just read a blog from a poster on SS/FG that passed away recently while riding his bike on a tour in Canada.
Apparently a drunk driver hit him. In spite of all his daring descents and close calls he didn't crash until someone hit him. You just don't win when an automobile hits you, regardless of any sort of safety gear. Helmet or no, getting run into my big heavy vehicles is the problem. All this talk of helmets won't stop automobiles from killing cyclists. Educating motorists and cyclists along with improving roadways and prosecuting drunk or incompetent drivers will make more of a difference in the grand scheme of things.