AN INVESTIGATION OF RIDER BICYCLE AND ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES IN URBAN BICYCLE COLLISIONS

A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY WAS MADE OF TRAFFIC COLLISIONS INVOLVING CHILD BICYCLISTS IN METROPOLITAN TORONTO TO IDENTIFY THE OCCURRENCE AND CONTRIBUTION TO RISK OF SELECTED RIDER, BICYCLE AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS. THE STUDY SAMPLES CONSISTED OF 275 BICYCLISTS IN REPORTABLE TRAFFIC COLLISIONS AND A RANDOM COMPARISON GROUP OF 1,062 SCHOOL-AGE MALE BICYCLE OWNERS. SEVERAL FACTORS INFLUENCING THE RISK OF YOUNG BICYCLISTS WERE IDENTIFIED. THESE RELATED PRIMARILY TO THE BICYCLIST'S COMPREHENSION OF RISK INHERENT IN DIFFERENT ROADWAY ENVIRONMENTS, PREDICTION OF TRAFFIC MOVEMENT, AND CONTROL OF THE BICYCLE. THE COLLISION- INVOLVED BICYCLIST WAS FOUND TO BE LARGELY UNGUIDED BY THE CONVENTIONAL ABSTRACT RULES OF ROADWAY PLACEMENT AND PRIORITY, RESPONDING ONLY TO IMMEDIATE AND OBVIOUS TRAFFIC CONFLICTS. THIS RISK WAS OFTEN COMPOUNDED BY THE CHALLENGING VARIETY AND COMPLEXITY OF RIDING ENVIRONMENTS IN URBAN AREAS AND THE UNUSUAL RIDING ACTIVITIES OF BICYCLISTS. THE MAJORITY OF COLLISIONS OCCURRED AT TIMES CORRESPONDING TO RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC FLOWS. A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION WERE RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL DEFICIENCIES SUCH AS SEVERE OBSTRUCTIONS TO VIEW, AND DARKNESS OR RAIN CONDITIONS. BICYCLES WHICH WERE OUT OF PROPORTION TO THE RIDER'S HEIGHT AND LEG REACH TO THE GROUND WERE ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED RISK OF COLLISION. AMONG YOUNGER RIDERS (8-10 YEAR OLDS IN THIS STUDY) MINIMUM RISK WAS EXPERIENCED BY THOSE WHO COULD, WHEN SEATED, JUST REACH THE GROUND COMFORTABLY WITH THEIR EXTENDED FEET. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE HUMANE AND REALISTIC INTEGRATION OF THE CHILD BICYCLIST AS A VEHICULAR ROAD USER REQUIRES RECOGNITION PRIMARILY OF THE SPECIAL PROBLEMS CONFRONTING THE BICYCLIST AS AN INEXPERIENCED ROAD USER. /RTAC/

• Corporate Authors:

  Transport Canada

  1000 Sherbrooke Street, West, P.O. Box 549
  Montreal, Quebec  Canada  H3A 2R3
• Authors:
  • Brezina, E
  • Kramer, M
• Publication Date: 1970-10

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 40 p.
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: 01

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adolescents; Bicycles; Crash causes; Crash injury research; Crashes; Cyclists; Environment; Peak hour traffic; Peak periods; Research; Traffic flow; Urban areas; Weather
• Old TRIS Terms: Minors
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00219862
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Roads & Transportation Assoc /Canada
• Report/Paper Numbers: Study Rept, HS-011 086
• Files: HSL, TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 27 1983 12:00AM