Patterns of bicycle ownership and injury were studied among over 6000 schoolchildren aged 3-12 in the Greater Burlington Area, VT, USA. The study had the following stages: (1) during the 1969 registration of bicycles, questionnaires were given to 380 of the 1092 people who registered; (2) during October and November 1969, an interviewer visited children aged 3-12 in all elementary schools in the area, and also observed their use of bicycles; (3) all children aged 3-12, who had medically treated injuries while on moving bicycles between 15 June and 14 October 1969, were followed up; and (4) a similar child was matched with each injured child, or with the driver when the injured child was a passenger. Results were obtained on patterns of bicycle ownership and use, injury rates and types of child cyclists, mechanisms of crashes, and characteristics of bicycle owners and their parents. Slightly over 2% of bicycle owners were injured annually, but no differences in injury rate or severity were found according to style of bicycle ('standard' or 'high rise'). Bicycle borrowing and riding double often occurred in the injury events. Problems of bicycle design also contributed to injuries.
Abstract