Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine

Title abbreviation: Adv Clin Exp Med
JCR Impact Factor (IF) – 2.1 (5-Year IF – 2.0)
Journal Citation Indicator (JCI) (2023) – 0.4
Scopus CiteScore – 3.7 (CiteScore Tracker – 4.1)
Index Copernicus  – 171.00; MNiSW – 70 pts

ISSN 1899–5276 (print)
ISSN 2451-2680 (online)
Periodicity – monthly

Download original text (EN)

Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine

2018, vol. 27, nr 10, October, p. 1403–1409

doi: 10.17219/acem/70695

Publication type: original article

Language: English

Download citation:

  • BIBTEX (JabRef, Mendeley)
  • RIS (Papers, Reference Manager, RefWorks, Zotero)

Characteristics and risk factors of bike-related accidents: Preliminary analysis

Katarzyna Bogusiak1,A,B,D,F, Michał Pyfel1,C,F, Aleksandra Puch2,D,F, Marta Kopertowska1,C,F, Dominika Werfel1,D,F, Aneta Neskoromna-Jędrzejczak3,E,F

1 Department of Cranio-Maxillofacial and Oncological Surgery, University Teaching Hospital No. 1 in Łódź, Poland

2 Department of Dentistry, Medical University of Lodz, Poland

3 Clinic of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Medical University of Lodz, Poland

Abstract

Background. The growing popularity of cycling not only enhances self-efficacy, physical well-being and improves quality of life, but it also leads to the increasing number of bike-related injuries.
Objectives. The aim of this study was to characterize the population of cyclists in Poland, assess the occurrence of safety behaviors among them and to precise the risk factors for bike accidents. Additionally, we analyzed bike-related injuries.
Material and Methods. The survey was based on a 39-item questionnaire created for this study. We collected data concerning the demographical status of respondents, their cycling preferences, attitude toward safety behaviors during cycling, and the characteristics of bike-related injuries. Our research covered 729 people who declared themselves as cyclists (302 women – average age: 31.5 ±10.3 years; 427 men – average age: 32.6 ±10.7 years).
Results. In the study, 71.3% of the interviewees declared that they did not always wear helmets. Women more often than men claimed that they did not always use head protection (p < 0.001). Among 729 people, 277 suffered from bike-related injuries. In this group, we noted 870 accidents that resulted in 1,671 different injuries. In our study, wearing helmets did not influence the region of trauma nor its type (p < 0.05). We noted 811 injuries of the upper extremities and 541 of the lower extremities.
Conclusion. Young men constitute the main group of cyclists in Poland. The risk factors for bike-related accidents in our study proved to be: educational level (secondary education and incomplete higher education), number of children (having at least 3 children), frequency of using a bike (the more often, the more injuries), type of bike used (mountain bikes and fold-up bikes), and frequency of using a helmet (using helmets was correlated with a higher rate of injuries). The upper and lower extremities were the most common location of injuries.

Key words

bike-related accidents, wounds, injuries, cycling, maxillofacial fractures

References (40)

  1. Yang L, Sahlqvist S, McMinn A, et al. Interventions to promote cycling: Systematic review. BMJ. 2010;341:c5293. doi: 10.1136/bmj.c5293
  2. Rojas-Rueda D, de Nazelle A, Andersen ZJ, et al. Health impacts of active transportation in Europe. PLoS ONE. 2016;11(3):e0149990. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149990
  3. Mueller N, Rojas-Rueda D, Cole-Hunter T, et al. Health impact assessment of active transportation: A systematic review. Prev Med. 2015;76:103–114.
  4. Badland H, Knuiman M, Hooper P, et al. Socio-ecological predictors of the uptake of cycling for recreation and transport in adults: Results from the RESIDE study. Prev Med. 2013;57(4):396–399.
  5. Humphreys DK, Goodman A, Ogilvie D. Associations between active commuting and physical and mental well-being. Prev Med. 2013;57(2):135–139.
  6. Hamer M, Chida Y. Active commuting and cardiovascular risk: A meta-analytic review. Prev Med. 2008;46(1):9–13.
  7. Poggio R, Serón P, Calandrelli M, et al. Prevalence, patterns, and correlates of physical activity among the adult population in Latin America: Cross-sectional results from the CESCAS I study. Glob Heart. 2016;11(1):81–88.
  8. Laverty AA, Palladino R, Lee JT, et al. Associations between active travel and weight, blood pressure and diabetes in six middle-income countries: A cross-sectional study in older adults. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2015;12:65. doi: 10.1186/s12966-015-0223-3
  9. Østergaard L, Støckel JT, Andersen LB. Effectiveness and implementation of interventions to increase commuter cycling to school: A quasi-experimental study. BMC Public Health. 2015;15:1199. doi: 10.1186/s12889-015-2536-1
  10. Barbosa D, Santos CP, Martins M. The application of cycling and cycling combined with feedback in the rehabilitation of stroke patients: A review. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2015;24(2):253–273.
  11. Alkatan M, Machin DR, Baker JR, et al. Effects of swimming and cycling exercise intervention on vascular function in patients with osteoarthritis. Am J Cardiol. 2016;117(1):141–145.
  12. Sakurai R, Kawai H, Yoshida H, et al. Can you ride a bicycle? The ability to ride a bicycle prevents reduced social function in older adults with mobility limitation. J Epidemiol. 2016;26(6):307–314.
  13. Sakurai R, Kawai H, Fukaya T. Incidence of bicycle-related accidents and subsequent injury in community-dwelling older adults: Understanding potential accidents. Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi. 2015;62(5):251–258.
  14. Miwa H, Kondo T. Bicycle sign for differential diagnosis of parkinsonism: Is it of use in a hilly country like Japan? J Parkinsons Dis. 2011;1(2):167–168.
  15. Tainio M, de Nazelle AJ, Götschi T, et al. Can air pollution negate the health benefits of cycling and walking? Prev Med. 2016;87:233–236.
  16. Vanparijs J, Int Panis L, Meeusen R, et al. Exposure measurement in bicycle safety analysis: A review of the literature. Accid Anal Prev. 2015;84:9–19.
  17. Dozza M. Crash risk: How cycling flow can help explain crash data. Accid Anal Prev. 2017;105:21–29. doi:10.1016/j.aap.2016.04.033
  18. Aultman-Hall L, Hall FL. Ottawa-Carleton commuter cyclist on- and off-road incident rates. Accid Anal Prev. 1998;30(1):29–43.
  19. Blaizot S, Papon F, Haddak MM, et al. Injury incidence rates of cyclists compared to pedestrians, car occupants and powered two-wheeler riders, using a medical registry and mobility data, Rhone County, France. Accid Anal Prev. 2013;58:35–45.
  20. de Geus B, Vandenbulcke G, Int Panis L, et al. A prospective cohort study on minor accidents involving commuter cyclists in Belgium. Accid Anal Prev. 2012;45:683–693.
  21. Mindell JS, Leslie D, Wardlaw M. Exposure-based ‘like-for-like’ assessment of road safety by travel mode using routine health data. PLoS ONE. 2012;7(12):e50606. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050606
  22. Poulos RG, Hatfield J, Rissel C, et al. Exposure-based cycling crash, near miss and injury rates: The Safer Cycling Prospective Cohort Study protocol. Inj Prev. 2012;18(1):e1. doi: 10.1136/injuryprev-2011-040160
  23. Teschke K, Harris MA, Reynolds CC, et al. Route infrastructure and the risk of injuries to bicyclists: A case-crossover study. Am J Public Health. 2012;102(12):2336–2343.
  24. Twisk DAM, Reurings M. An epidemiological study of the risk of cycling in the dark: The role of visual perception, conspicuity and alcohol use. Accid Anal Prev. 2013;60:134–140.
  25. Vandenbulcke G, Thomas I, de Geus B, et al. Mapping bicycle use and the risk of accidents for commuters who cycle to work in Belgium. Transp Policy. 2009;16(2):77–87.
  26. Poulos RG, Hatfield J, Rissel C, et al. Characteristics, cycling patterns, and crash and injury experiences at baseline of a cohort of transport and recreational cyclists in New South Wales, Australia. Accid Anal Prev. 2015;78:155–164.
  27. Pikora T, Giles-Corti B, Bull F, et al. Developing a framework for assessment of the environmental determinants of walking and cycling. Soc Sci Med. 2003;56(8):1693–1703.
  28. Damant-Sirois G, Grimsrud M, El-Geneidy A. What’s your type: A multidimensional cyclist typology. Transportation. 2014;41:1153–1169.
  29. Heesch KC, Sahlqvist S, Garrard J. Gender differences in recreational and transport cycling: A cross-sectional mixed-methods comparison of cycling patterns, motivators, and constraints. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2012;9(1):106. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-9-106
  30. Munro C. Australian Cycling Participation. Results of the 2013 National Cycling Participation Survey. Sydney: Austroads, Ltd.; 2013.
  31. Pucher J, Buehler R. Making cycling irresistible: Lessons from the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany. Transp Rev. 2008;28(4):495–528.
  32. Peltzman S. The effect of automobile safety regulation. J Polit Econ. 1975;83(4):677–726.
  33. Walker I. Drivers overtaking bicyclists: Objective data on the effects of riding position, helmet use, vehicle type and apparent gender. Accid Anal Prev. 2007;39(2):417–425.
  34. Eilert-Petersson E, Schelp L. An epidemiological study of bicycle-related injuries. Accid Anal Prev. 1997;29(3):363–372.
  35. Depreitere B, Van Lierde C, Maene S, et al. Bicycle-related head injury: A study of 86 cases. Accid Anal Prev. 2004;36(4):561–567.
  36. National Center for Statistics and Analysis. Traffic Safety Facts 1993. Pedal Cyclists. Washington, DC: National Center for Statistics and Analysis; 1994.
  37. Stier R, Otte D, Müller C, et al. Effectiveness of bicycle safety helmets in preventing facial injuries in road accidents. Arch Trauma Res. 2016;5(3):e30011.
  38. Hansen KS, Engesaeter LB, Viste A. Protective effect of different types of bicycle helmets. Traffic Inj Prev. 2003;4(4):285–290.
  39. Thompson DC, Thompson RS, Rivara FP, et al. A case-control study of the effectiveness of bicycle safety helmets in preventing facial injury. Am J Public Health. 1990;80(12):1471–1474.
  40. Thompson RS, Rivara FP, Thompson DC. A case-control study of the effectiveness of bicycle safety helmets. N Engl J Med. 1989;320(21):1361–1367.
© Wroclaw Medical University