Safe Cycling project

Safer cycling: a partnership project to better understand cycling patterns, hazards and incidents.
 
AIMS AND BACKGROUND
There are clear personal, social and environmental benefits of cycling, and these benefits increase as more people cycle. However, major barriers to encouraging more people to cycle, are the real and perceived injury risks, and concerns about more cyclists interacting with other road users.
 
This study aims to:
1. Develop measures of cyclist crash, near miss and injury rates for a broadly representative population of cyclists from metropolitan and regional New South Wales
2. Identify factors that contribute to crash, near miss and injury rates, e.g. human factors and road environment.
3. Assess the risks for cyclists associated with cycling on roads, bicycle lanes and cycleways.
4. Describe the type, location and frequency of environment hazards identified by cyclists, and assess the feasibility of a website in facilitating reporting and rectification. In meeting these aims, the project will provide vital knowledge to inform policy and planning with respect to transport and health, and inform future health and safety promotional campaigns.
 
The health and environmental benefits of cycling
Cycling, both for transport and recreation, has many health benefits. These include a reduction in all-cause mortality and cardiovascular risk. Cycling may also be an important tool in the fight against the obesity epidemic, with ecological studies noting lower rates of obesity in regions with high rates of cycling. The value of current cycling to the national health system is conservatively estimated at $227 million per annum. Cycling is being promoted as a major alternative means of commuting and this may reduce carbon dioxide emissions and other pollutants, in addition to traffic congestion. Current
estimates indicate that cycling saves the economy $63.9 million in reduced traffic congestion costs.
 
Crashes and injuries associated with cycling: the size of the problem
Minimising cycle crash related injuries is important both to capitalise on health and environmental benefits, and to encourage participation in cycling. Safety has been recognised by local government as a key element in transport strategy. Still, significant numbers of cyclists are killed or seriously injured, and these numbers appear to be increasing. Watson and Cameron (2006) report that a total of 15,685 bicyclists were involved in police reported crashes in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia during 2000-2004. 6 Around 94% of these crashes were identified as involving a motor vehicle or motorcycle. Between 1999-2004, there were 56 deaths and 2070 hospital separations in NSW for cyclists involved in motor vehicle crashes. 7 However, both of these reported data under enumerate the size of the problem either because many cycling incidents go unreported to police, or , because the data do not include deaths and injuries arising from falls and collisions not involving motor vehicles, and do not include casualties receiving outpatient treatment. Recently published data from Victoria reports a significant increase in emergency department and hospital admissions for bicycle injuries from 2001- 2006, and a marked increase in the number of cyclists sustaining severe injury. 8 However, the interpretation of these data is severely limited by the quality of data in terms of cycling exposure and contributing factors .This deficit means that transport plans,
infrastructure development and safety interventions are not sufficiently evidence based.
 
BENEFIT
This research will advance the objectives of Australian Research Priorities – An environmentally sustainable Australia and safeguarding Australia: In making cycling safer, more cycling will be encouraged, leading to less reliance on driving. Cycling is the ultimate ‘clean fuel’ energy source, is renewable and sustainable, and reduces the nation’s dependence on imported oil. More people cycling and less driving, means less carbon dioxide emissions and other pollutants. NSW per capita greenhouse gas emissions are in the order of 23 tonnes per person each year and this is more than double that of the UK, Germany and Japan (with emissions at just over 10 tonnes per person) and the average for industrialised nations (at about 13 tonnes). Transport emissions represent the second largest source of emissions in Australia (14%) Cycling currently saves the economy $63.9 million in reduced traffic congestion costs. Promoting and maintaining good health:. Cycling has numerous positive health benefits, and this will be enhanced at a population level, if the injury concerns are reduced. As indicated in the Background section, cycling can positively impact on national health concerns such as cardiovascular health, mental ill health, obesity, and diabetes. Cycling is a low stress form of physical activity which is popular among older adults who have trouble jogging or even walking. Finally, this study has national benefit because its findings will be of interest to other local governments, states and territories, all of whom have an interest in the promotion of safe cycling. While this study is based in NSW, the infrastructure, legislation and socio-demographic structure of the state is not dissimilar to Australia nationally, so there is the potential for national application.
 
Cycling, both for transport and recreation, has many health and environmental benefits. Major barriers to more people cycling, are the real and perceived injury risks, and risk concerns about interacting with other road users. This study will follow a large cohort of cyclists from metropolitan and regional New South Wales to measure cyclist crash, near miss and injury rates, and to identify factors that contribute to these events. This interdisciplinary project will also explore risks associated with different forms of cycling infrastructure. It will provide evidence to support and inform future policy and planning for transport and health, and inform future health and safety promotional campaigns for all road users.
 
Cycling is the ultimate ‘clean fuel’ energy source, is renewable and sustainable. It can also positively impact on national health concerns such as cardiovascular health, obesity, and diabetes. If cycling is to be encouraged as a health-promoting practice, or as a sustainable form of transport, then it is incumbent on governments to address injury concerns, to ensure that its benefits outweigh its risks and to provide an environment that minimises risk and optimises the transport advantages. This project will provide understanding of cycling patterns, hazards and incidents. It will provide vital knowledge to inform policy and planning with respect to transport and health, and inform future health and safety promotional campaigns.
 
Research Priority Area and Research Priority Goal
1 Promoting and Maintaining Good Health Preventative healthcare
Field of Research
1 Health Promotion
2 Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety
3 Urban Policy
4 Transport Planning
Socio Economic Objective
1 Injury control
2 Behaviour and health
3 Health education and promotion
Keywords
1 Cycling safety
2 Healthy exercise
3 Healthy cycling
4 Cycling infrastructure
5 Cycling policy and planning
The direct benefits to the community are improved awareness about safe and responsible riding and therefore increased safety on the road, increase in physical activity and decreases in pollution.