Hi Lisa -
actually clipless pedals are much safer than toe-clips or platform pedals, quicker and easier to release and reduce the possibility of sprains and fractures. However, the bulk of bike crashes, at least among the people I ride with, are due to fast sprints on uneven roads or slippery corners which you sometimes find on race courses, or (fortunately less frequently) to a close encounter with a 4-wheeled vehicle while training...