Bicycle Helmets Some doubts Themes to be explored Cycling is low - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Bicycle Helmets

Some doubts

Themes to be explored

• Cycling is low risk and healthy
• Enforced helmet laws reduce

cycling

• The evidence about how effective

helmets are is contradictory

Cycling is low risk

Trends in cyclist casualties

2 0 4 0 6 0 8 0 100 120 198 1 198 3 198 5 198 7 198 9 199 1 199 3 199 5 199 7 199 9 200 1 200 3 200 5

Cyclists Pedestrians

How risky is cycling?

How cycling compares

Activity

Deaths /million hours

Motorcycling on roads 8.80 Scuba diving 1.98 Swimming 1.07 Snowmobiling 0.88 Passenger Cars 0.47 Water skiing 0.28 Bicycling 0.26 Flying (scheduled domestic) 0.15 Hunting 0.08 Traveling in a school bus 0.02 Being at home (inc. sleeping) 0.01 Data from Failure Analysis Associates, Inc (now Exponent Inc), 1993, US figures.

Walking vs Cycling

38 49 20 40 60

Cyclist deaths Pedestrian deaths Deaths per billion KM travelled, 1995-2004 averages

Source: Road Casualties of Great Britain 2005. Table 52, p130.

• Cyclists make up 6.5% of serious head

injuries

• When treated in hospital 38% of cyclists

have head injuries. The figure for pedestrians is 44%, for all injuries 34%

When hurt, Cyclists are not more likely to suffer a head injury

DoH, 2003, Hospital admissions data

Too dangerous?

Risk per hour comparisons

0.2 0.11 0.46 0.25 0.13 0.26 0.35 0.2 0.4 0.6 Pedestrian Pedestrian @ 280hrs Cyclist Cyclists @ 280 hrs UK driver German driver Belgian driver

Deaths/million hrs

Comparison of Total Risk

0.45 0.5 0.27

0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45 0.5

Deaths/million hrs

Car Bicycle bicycle @ 280hrs

More cycling=Safer cycling

1996 data

0.8 2 4 7 12 13 18 27

20 40 60 80 100 120 U S A U K F r a n c e F i n l a n d G e r m a n y S w e d e n D e n m a r k N e t h e r l a n d s

Deaths/billion km cycled

5 10 15 20 25 30

% Trips made by bike

More cycling=safer cycling

The Dutch experience

600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 Fietskm pppj 10 20 30 40 50 60 Fietsdoden per miljard fietskm fietsgebruik

• nveiligheid fiets

Deaths / billion km

Text

Bicycle use

Helmet wearing and cyclist death rates: International comparisons

38% 22% 2.40% 20% 2% 15% 3% 0.10%

20 40 60 80 100 120 U S A U K F r a n c e F i n l a n d G e r m a n y S w e d e n D e n m a r k N e t h e r l a n d s Deaths/Billion km cycled 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Helmet Wearing