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Edition 15: Bicycle Safety

August 2004

     

 

 

 

Bicycle Safety

Many people perceive a bicycle as a toy. Professionals in traffic safety correctly see it as a vehicle. Those riding a bicycle must obey the same traffic rules and regulations as drivers of motor vehicles. However, a bicycle provides virtually no protection against crash injuries. How can a bicyclist be safer on the road? This e-newsletter provides updated information and resources on bicycle safety.

Statistics collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that the majority of bicycle fatalities are due to head injuries. Although many studies now show that a helmet is the best defense against a head injury after an accident, usage of helmets, as well as other protective gear, remains fairly low. Today, 19 states and the District of Columbia enforce the use of helmets among bicyclists. However, these statewide laws apply only to young riders. The rest of the states do not have any helmet laws at all.

Regardless of the laws, wearing a helmet is common sense and is a strong safety tool. While protective gear is designed to increase your safety, they must be used appropriately. A helmet, for example, requires a correct fit (e.g. head size and strap length) and proper positioning to reduce the impact from injuries. Wearing a brightly colored helmet, as well as other protective gear, is recommended to be visible on the road. Also, keep your helmet up-to-date; if you’re using a helmet that is more than a couple of years old, the internal composition of the helmet may have deteriorated to lose much of its protective ability; similarly, if you’ve had a crash with the helmet, you may have damaged the shell, again reducing its protective ability.

 

    
 

Tips to Increase Your Safety Before Riding:

  • Wear helmets – it is the best defense.
  • Make sure that the helmet fits properly.
  • Wear brightly colored clothing.
  • Wear clothing with reflective strips during dusk or times with less light.
  • Avoid riding at night; if riding at dusk or night, use lights that can be seen from the front and the back of the bike.

Tips to Increase Your Safety While Riding:

  • Ride with the flow of the traffic.
  • Obey all traffic signs and signals.
  • Use hand signals for turning, stopping, or slowing.
  • Look left-right-left-right when entering any street or intersection.
  • Watch out for obstacles in the road (e.g., potholes, rocks, cracks).
  • Stay out of driver’s blind spots or their “no-zones.”
  • Try to make eye contact with other drivers on the road.
  • Watch for opening car doors when driving through city or residential areas.
  • Expect the unexpected.
  
     

 

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- Bicycle Accident Statistics --

  • In 2002, 660 bicyclists, which accounted for 2 percent of all traffic fatalities, were killed.
  • Riders 16 years old and older accounted for 77% of deaths from bicycle crashes.
  • The average age of bicyclists killed was 35.7 years, and the average age of those injured was 26.7 years.
  • Most of the bicyclists killed or injured were males (90% and 75%, respectively).
  • The majority of the fatalities occurred between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
  • 31% of the bicyclists killed were intoxicated.
  • 38% of the fatalities occurred at intersections.
  • Three out of four of the serious injuries and deaths are due to head injuries.
  • 85% of bicyclists killed were not wearing helmets.

 

LINKS OF INTEREST:

 

 

 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Statistics and definitions		  
 
   
 
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)  
 
   
 
Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Information Center  
 
   
 
Washington Area Bicyclist Association  

 

 

 

 

 

 

George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Public Health has completed numerous traffic safety campaigns.  To review and download these campaigns and others, visit: http://www.caph.gmu.edu/Campaigns.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Funded by a grant from

 

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
P.O. Box 27412
Richmond, VA 23269

http://www.dmv.state.va.us

 

 

 

 

 

 

George Mason University

Center for the Advancement of Public Health

4400 University Dr., MS1F5

Fairfax, VA 22030-4444

http://www.caph.gmu.edu