Originally Posted by Koyote

Yep. The statistic would have more relevance if it were reported as fatalities per million miles ridden. This is typically how accident and fatality rates are reported for, e.g., motor vehicle and air travel. Even that statistic would require a lot of interpretation – – statistical regression analysis to filter out other influences would help.

To add some positive content: if anyone is really worried about being hit by a car while riding, the solutions involve wearing helmets, riding defensively, and putting lots of bright lights on the bike.