BICYCLE SAFETY IN AUSTRALIA: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Bicycle fatalities represent 2 per cent to 3 per cent of all road deaths, and officially reported injuries are a similar proportion of total injuries. However, there is strong evidence that bicycle injuries are grossly under-reported. Bicycle crash records show definitively, in the first instance, that improvements to cyclist and motorist behaviour must be the prime goals if bicycle safety is to be improved. The countermeasures indicated are education and enforcement programs aimed at improving compliance with road law. However, the needs and abilities of adult and child cyclists are different, and separate approaches are needed in both engineering and behavioural programs. Full separation of cyclists from motorists in existing urban areas is unrealistic and by itself is unlikely to improve overall safety. Promotion of the use of bicycle safety helmets is potentially one of the most effective methods of reducing the severity of the bicycle crash toll. Police enforcement of the use of lighting systems by cyclists can substantially reduce after-dark crashes. Use of daylight conspicuity aids is recommended. The state and Federal government are called on to adopt a national 5-year plan to reduce the bicycle casualty rate to that of motor vehicles; at least on a time of exposure basis. Bicycle safety education is recommended as the centre-piece of a comprehensive road safety package for the young. This is seen as potentially the most effective road safety countermeasure for the longer term. This review is based largely on a paper presented to the national road safety symposium, Canberra, 29-31 October, 1984. (TRRL/Author)

• Corporate Authors:

  Bicycle Federation of Australia

  P.O. Box 865
  Canberra, A.C.T.,   Australia 
• Authors:
  • Mathieson, J G
• Publication Date: 1984

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 41 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Bicycles; Countermeasures; Drivers; Education; Helmets; Safety; Traffic law enforcement; Traffic safety; Vehicle lighting
• Geographic Terms: Australia
• ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 8006: Australia; 9001: Behaviour; 1211: Bicycle; 8525: Conference; 1687: Crash helmet; 1742: Cyclist; 1772: Driver; 2284: Education; 1534: Enforcement (law); 8573: Publicity; 6555: Statistics; 655: Traffic engineering; 6783: Visibility
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00465088
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 31 1988 12:00AM