Bicycle safety
[2][3][4][5][6] The first recorded bicycle crash occurred in 1842, reportedly between Kirkpatrick McMillan, an early rider of the velocipede, and a young girl in Glasgow.
[7] The overall risk of death from a cycling accident in developed countries has diminished over the last 25 years according to a 2017 analysis of OECD statistics.
[8] In the United States, cycling remains a more dangerous mode of transportation when compared to automobiles (not considering total distance traveled).
[9][clarification needed] According to NPR, the number of bicyclists hit by vehicles rose at an alarming rate during the COVID pandemic, and a leading cause of this was poor bicycle infrastructure.
[15] [16][17] An international survey on underreporting of the most severe cycling collisions found reporting rates ranging between 0% (Israel) and 35% (Germany).
[18] The French ESPARR study found that close to half of those who experience a minor injury in a road traffic collision in Rhône (MAIS1 or MAIS2) still experienced regular pain after a year.
[20][21] Hazards to cyclists include: Bicyclists are also subject to all the same types of collisions as vehicles, but without the protection of a metal shell - although generally traveling at lower speeds.
[35] The success of this movement — along with other factors, such as the oil shortages of 1973–74[36] — turned Dutch government policy around and the country began to restrict motor vehicles in its towns and cities and to direct its focus on growth towards other forms of transport, with the bicycle perceived as critical in making Dutch streets safer and towns and cities more people-friendly and livable.
Concern over national public health and active transportation have inspired states and municipalities to rethink present traffic engineering.
Despite these statistical limitations, the risk of cycling accidents has been found to be lowest on segregated on-road bike lanes and routes.
[44] Following increased pressure from The Times "Cities Fit For Cycling" campaign and from other media in 2012, warning signs are now displayed on the backs of many HGVs.
The signs, such as the winning design of the InTANDEM road safety competition launched in March 2012, advocate extra care when passing a large vehicle on the nearside.
In order to be effective, it is best for lights to be securely attached to the bicycle and properly aimed, not mounted on soft bags or loose clothing.
The majority of fatal car-bike accidents occur between 6pm and 9pm,[50] likely due to the low-light conditions and potential glare of sunset, combined with traffic still being heavier, especially on weekdays.
In addition to technical improvements in brakes, tyres and bicycle construction generally (for example, it is now rare for a chain to snap and throw the rider when accelerating away from a stop) there are well-understood behavioural models which actively manage the risk posed by other road users.
[53] Various jurisdictions include recommending the Dutch Reach (so named because the practice started in the Netherlands) in driver education materials, to prevent hitting a cyclist with an opening door.
Data collated by the OECD indicates that rural locations account for 35% or more of cycling fatalities in Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, Japan, the Netherlands, and Spain.
