But I was taking my life into my hands everytime I rode out.
I think, because being on a bike FEELS more vulnerable, that people assume it's dangerous. Really, I think speeding down a freeway at 70 mph is more dangerous by far...think about the relative consequences of crashing that car, versus your 15 mph bike swerving off road and throwing you over the handlebars. Both can be deadly potentially, but one is far more likely to.
I think the illusion of safety created by being in a metal cage ("cage" is biker lingo for cars btw) probably accounts for quite a few deaths (of drivers, passengers AND people outside the car) due to inattention or lack of preparedness. On the other hand, the sense of vulnerability on a bike probably discourages a lot of people from adopting it as a mode of transport when there are tons of benefits to that, both personal (your commute gets you in shape and is enjoyable instead of being a boring period of time that you have to endure and are inactive - just to name the first things that come to mind) and communal (reduced pollution, reduced congestion, less wear and tear on roadways means less cost in taxes to maintain them, again just to name the absolute first to pop into my head)