Danny and John ride their bicycles every day after school. They both know the importance of bicycle safety, and always wear their helmets to prevent against a head injury.
In school, Danny and John learned that many people are killed in bicycle accidents each year. Most of these deaths occur from head injuries. Three out of four bicycle accidents involve an injury to the head. Wearing a helmet, however, reduces the chance of incurring a head injury by 85%.
Each year, nearly 1 million children are treated for bicycle-related injuries in the United States alone. More children ages 5 to 14 go to U.S. hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with bicycles than with any other sport! Most of these injuries involve the head. Bicyclists admitted to hospitals with head injuries are 20 times more likely to die as those without head injuries.
A recent study estimated that Americans take approximately 1.8 billion bicycle trips each year. This same study found that for every 1 million bicycle trips taken, there are approximately 300 injuries and 0.5 deaths.
According to these statistics, approximately how many injuries and how many deaths can be expected this year?