Hell yeah

For road safety, it depends on where you live. Some places are way better than others.

The safest thing is to get off road, get on designated paved paths, dirt trails, gravel trails, of course, and since you're doing this for fitness that might be more of an option.

When on road, trying to make your ride safely away from cars is the usual goal. Physically separated bike paths are best. Some places allow sidewalk riding but then you can't go fast. Low traffic areas with good visibility and few intersections.

When you are around cars, defensive riding is your friend. You want to be highly visible and not push your luck. You want to avoid confrontation and road rage. It doesn't matter if you're right and they're a jerk, what matters is you're on a bike and they're in a multi-ton killing machine. High viz clothes are good and often very practical. Wear a decent helmet and wear it properly. Casual group rides can give you safety in numbers and if you get real into it you can do more serious group rides that teach you group riding skills and etiquette.

In terms of your bike, make sure your brakes are always in great condition and they have good stopping power. Practice stopping quickly so you get a sense of how to have control. Make sure your bike is generally tuned up and everything is torqued to spec. For example, seatpost should not be too loose or too tight. Handlebars, headset, and stem + handlebars are safety critical. If you get frong fenders make sure they have safety tabs.

If you ride at night, reflective clothing, front light, and tail light are important.

A varia or similar tail light is a nice to have if you also get a head unit. People say will tell you when cars are approaching from behind and how close, helping you prepare to get over or be mindful. I don't have one yet, they're a bit pricey and I try to avoid traffic as much as possible.