Cycling Accidents - Facts and Figures - March 2009

ACCIDENT PATTERNS (Click here to download this document in PDF format. PDF format 102kb)

Every year in this country over 16,000 cyclists are killed or injured in reported road accidents, including around 2,500 who are killed or seriously injured.

Cyclist Casualties, 2007

Killed 136
Seriously Injured 2,428
Slightly Injured 13,631
Total 16,195

These are reported road accidents only. Between 60% to 90% of cyclist casualties are not reported, especially if the victim is a child and it is a bicycle-only accident. The above figures also exclude cycling accidents that occur away from the road, which could number as many as 150,000 per year.

About one quarter of the cyclists killed and injured are children. Cycling accidents increase as children grow older and peak at around 16 years. To some extent, this reflects increased cycling as children grow older followed by a switch to motorised transport from the late teens onwards. It also co-incides with the age when children attend Secondary school, and may indicate riskier behaviour by this age group.

Most cycling accidents happen in urban areas where most cycling takes place. Nearly three quarters happen at, or near, a road junction with T-junctions being the most commonly involved. Roundabouts are particularly dangerous junctions for cyclists.

Males are more likely to be involved in cycling accidents than females; four out of five cyclist casualties are male.

Around 80% of cycling accidents occur in daylight - which is when most cycling takes place. For child cyclists, 90% of their accidents occur during the day. The most dangerous hours for cyclists are 3.00 to 6.00 p.m. and 8.00 to 9.00 a.m. on weekdays.

More cycle accidents occur during the Spring and Summer months (May to September) than the Autumn and Winter months (October to April). However, the casualty rate in terms of miles travelled is higher over the Autumn and Winter period.

CYCLING ACCIDENTS

  • 90% occur in urban areas
  • 75% happen at, or near, a road junction
  • 80% occur in daylight
  • 80% of cyclist casualties are male
  • About one quarter of the cyclists killed or injured are children
  • Around three quarters of cyclists killed have major head injuries.

TYPES OF ACCIDENT

Accidents involving child cyclists are often the result of the child playing, doing tricks, riding too fast or losing. For teenage and adult cyclists, accidents are more likely to involve collisions with motor vehicles.

COMMON CYCLING ACCIDENTS

  • Child cyclist playing or riding too fast
  • Cyclist and motorist going straight ahead
  • Cyclist turning right from a major road and from a minor road
  • Motorist emerging into path of cyclist
  • Motorist turning across path of cyclist
  • Cyclist riding into the path of a motor vehicle, often riding off a pavement
  • Cyclist overtaking

INJURY PATTERNS

Limb Injuries
Over half of cyclist casualties suffer arm injuries and around 40% receive leg injuries. Serious leg injuries often require long stays in hospital.

Chest/Abdomen Injuries
Chest and abdomen injuries occur much less frequently (5%), but are often serious. When they do occur they are often accompanied by head injuries.

Head Injuries
Head injuries, ranging from fatal skull fractures and brain damage to minor concussion and cuts, are very common injuries to cyclists. Around half of the cyclists who go to hospital following an accident have head injuries.

Protecting Cyclists
A wide variety of measures can help to reduce the risk to cyclists:-

  • Cycle Route Networks
  • Traffic Calming Schemes
  • Improved Driver Awareness and Training
  • Cyclist Training
  • Conspicuity for Cyclists
  • Cycle Helmets
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