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 120 100 Pedestrians 8 0 Cyclists 6 0 4 0 2 0 0 198 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

How risky is cycling?

How cycling compares Deaths /million hours Activity 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 Deaths per billion KM travelled, 1995-2004 averages 60 40 49 38 20 0 Cyclist deaths Pedestrian deaths Source: Road Casualties of Great Britain 2005. Table 52, p130.

When hurt, Cyclists are not more likely to suffer a head injury • 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% DoH, 2003, Hospital admissions data

Too dangerous?

Risk per hour comparisons 0.6 0.4 Deaths/million hrs 0.46 0.2 0.35 0.26 0.25 0.2 0.13 0.11 0 Pedestrian Pedestrian @ Cyclist Cyclists @ UK driver German Belgian driver 280hrs 280 hrs driver

Comparison of Total Risk 0.5 0.45 0.5 0.45 0.4 Deaths/million hrs 0.35 0.27 0.3 0.25 0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0 Car Bicycle bicycle @ 280hrs

More cycling=Safer cycling Deaths/billion km cycled 1996 data 100 120 20 40 60 80 0 U S A 0.8 U K 2 F r a n c e 4 F i n l a n d G e 7 r m a n y S 12 w e d e n D e 13 n m a r k N e t h e 18 r l a n d s 27 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 % Trips made by bike

More cycling=safer cycling The Dutch experience Bicycle 1800 60 use Deaths / 1600 50 Fietsdoden per miljard fietskm billion km 1400 40 Text Fietskm pppj 1200 30 1000 20 800 10 600 0 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 fietsgebruik onveiligheid fiets

Helmet wearing and cyclist death rates: International comparisons 120 40% 38% 35% 100 30% Deaths/Billion km cycled Helmet Wearing 80 25% 22% 20% 60 20% 15% 15% 40 10% 20 5% 3% 2.40% 2% 0.10% 0 0% A K e d y n k s c n n e r d S U a n a a d n U m a m a l e n r w l n i r r F F e e e S h G D t e N