Having brake lights and turn signals will help car riders know we are there and our intentions. Clearly just having a headlight, reflectors and a tail light are not enough.
Here are some stats from the League of American Bicyclists.
"7. How many cyclists are killed and injured each year?
In 2001, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 728 bicyclists were killed in crashes with motor vehicles and 45,000 were injured. These numbers represent 2 percent of the total number of people killed and injured in traffic crashes. In 2000, the number of fatalities dipped below the 700 mark for the first time in the past decade. Recent data also shows that there has been a 14% reduction in fatalities among cyclists between 1997 and 2007.: Source : National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (PDF)
Year Fatalities Injuries
2007 698 43,000
2006 772 44,000
2005 786 45,000
2004 727 41,000
2003 629 46,000
2002 665 48,000
2001 728 45,000
2000 690 51,000
1999 750 51,000
1998 760 53,000
1997 814 58,000
1996 765 59,000
1995 833 61,000
However, a significant number of bicycle crashes requiring emergency room treatment are not included in these reported fatalities and injuries. Studies indicate that as few as ten percent of injury crashes are reported to the police as they do not involve a motor vehicle, and/or do not happen on the roadway. Indeed, a recent Federal Highway Administration study found that 70 percent of bicycle injury events in emergency rooms did not involve a motor vehicle and 31 percent of bicyclists were injured in non-roadway locations. The number of bicyclists visiting hospital emergency rooms is estimated to be in excess of 500,000 per year.
11. How safe do people feel bicycling?
The Omnibus Survey completed for the Bureau of Transportation Statistics in February 2003 asked all respondents how safe they felt using different modes of transport. When asked:
How satisfied are you with how your local community is designed for making bike riding safe?
22.57 % were Very Satisfied
31.32 % were Somewhat Satisfied
17.55 % were Neither Satisfied, nor Dissatisfied
16.84 % were Somewhat Dissatisfied
11.73 % were Very Dissatisfied "