gravelclimber
22-08-2006, 10:34 AM
OK, this is pretty morbid but here goes.
Apparently 60 % of fatal accidents involving cycling the cyclist is responsible according to this report.
http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/2006/pdf/death_cyclists_road.pdf
It's very interesting reading.
In 1996-2000 4wds, vans and utes accounted for 18 % of deaths (cars 40 %). In 2000-2004 4wds, vans and utes accounted for 16 % of deaths (cars 48 %).
The most dangerous time to ride is 3 - 6 pm weekdays.
What does everyone think of this report?
Here's the news.com.au take. http://blogs.news.com.au/news/crime/index.php/news/comments/pedalling_safety/
Cyclists constantly complain about motorists being out to kill them. But now new national research shows that more than 60 per cent of cyclists killed in road accidents were deemed to be at fault, including ignoring road signs or traffic lights, riding from the footpath into intersections without looking and swerving in front of cars.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau studied 665 cyclist deaths between 1991 and 2005. Children under the age of 15 accounted for 133 of the deaths, followed by 86 deaths amongst riders aged 15-19. The third highest number of deaths – 63 – was in riders aged over the age of 70.
Despite the wearing of helmets being made compulsory, a third of both male and female cyclists killed in road accidents between 1996-2000 were not wearing helmets.
The most common kind of fatal collision was cyclists being hit from behind by motor vehicles travelling in the same lane and in the same direction. The next most common type of accident was the cyclist riding from the footpath into an intersection or on to a road and being hit by an oncoming motor vehicle.
The most frequent cause for accidents was cyclists or motorists failing to see the other. “For cyclists, their visibility remains a key safety issue,” the ATSB report said.
Between 1996-2000, 14 out of 222 cyclists killed had failed to observe traffic signals or road signs. In another 13 crashes the bicycle had a ‘critical malfunction or defect’.
Despite the boom in cycle riding at weekends, weekdays were slightly more dangerous for cyclists. About 30 per cent of cyclist deaths on weekdays occurred between 3 pm and 6 pm. Relatively high numbers of cyclist deaths occurred between 4 pm and 6 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The highest number of deaths occurred between 3 pm and 4 pm on Wednesdays.
Cycle safety is likely to prove an increasing problem with the growth in popularity of bike riding as a way to keep fit or beat rising petrol prices. According to the ATSB report, the number of bicycles sold in 2005 was 13 per cent greater than the number of motor vehicles sold and that more than a million bicycles were sold in Australia each year from 2002 to 2005.
“Cycling has significant health and environmental benefits for the community, but cycling on the roads has risks that need to be recognised by cyclists and motorists alike,” the report says.
Apparently 60 % of fatal accidents involving cycling the cyclist is responsible according to this report.
http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/2006/pdf/death_cyclists_road.pdf
It's very interesting reading.
In 1996-2000 4wds, vans and utes accounted for 18 % of deaths (cars 40 %). In 2000-2004 4wds, vans and utes accounted for 16 % of deaths (cars 48 %).
The most dangerous time to ride is 3 - 6 pm weekdays.
What does everyone think of this report?
Here's the news.com.au take. http://blogs.news.com.au/news/crime/index.php/news/comments/pedalling_safety/
Cyclists constantly complain about motorists being out to kill them. But now new national research shows that more than 60 per cent of cyclists killed in road accidents were deemed to be at fault, including ignoring road signs or traffic lights, riding from the footpath into intersections without looking and swerving in front of cars.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau studied 665 cyclist deaths between 1991 and 2005. Children under the age of 15 accounted for 133 of the deaths, followed by 86 deaths amongst riders aged 15-19. The third highest number of deaths – 63 – was in riders aged over the age of 70.
Despite the wearing of helmets being made compulsory, a third of both male and female cyclists killed in road accidents between 1996-2000 were not wearing helmets.
The most common kind of fatal collision was cyclists being hit from behind by motor vehicles travelling in the same lane and in the same direction. The next most common type of accident was the cyclist riding from the footpath into an intersection or on to a road and being hit by an oncoming motor vehicle.
The most frequent cause for accidents was cyclists or motorists failing to see the other. “For cyclists, their visibility remains a key safety issue,” the ATSB report said.
Between 1996-2000, 14 out of 222 cyclists killed had failed to observe traffic signals or road signs. In another 13 crashes the bicycle had a ‘critical malfunction or defect’.
Despite the boom in cycle riding at weekends, weekdays were slightly more dangerous for cyclists. About 30 per cent of cyclist deaths on weekdays occurred between 3 pm and 6 pm. Relatively high numbers of cyclist deaths occurred between 4 pm and 6 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The highest number of deaths occurred between 3 pm and 4 pm on Wednesdays.
Cycle safety is likely to prove an increasing problem with the growth in popularity of bike riding as a way to keep fit or beat rising petrol prices. According to the ATSB report, the number of bicycles sold in 2005 was 13 per cent greater than the number of motor vehicles sold and that more than a million bicycles were sold in Australia each year from 2002 to 2005.
“Cycling has significant health and environmental benefits for the community, but cycling on the roads has risks that need to be recognised by cyclists and motorists alike,” the report says.