Analysis of bicycle accidents and recommended countermeasures in Beijing, China

In Beijing, China, bicycle traffic constitutes more than 50 percent of passenger transportation and more than 30 percent of traffic accident fatalities. Nearly 70 percent of the traffic accidents were related to bicycles. The rate of fatalities for bicyclists 60 and older is five times greater than the average. Farmers have the greatest number of bicycle incidents. The peak hour for bicycle accidents is usually 7:00 to 8:00 a.m., depending on the bicycle and motorized vehicle traffic flows. Monday is the peak day for bicycle accidents. It was also found that more bicycle accidents happened in July, which is Beijing's tourism season. Generally speaking, roads and streets with higher speed limits, such as arterials and rural highways, have higher rates of bicycle accident fatalities. Bicycle accidents can be attributed to many causes, including road and environmental conditions, traffic safety measures, operations of motorized vehicles, and bicyclists' habits and skills. The most pressing factor contributing to bicycle accidents is the inadequate and insufficient facilities provided for bicyclists. To reduce the annual toll of bicyclist injuries and fatalities, a number of countermeasures, such as improvement of road and environmental conditions, education in traffic laws, training in cycling, and use of helmet, are recommended.