This paper estimates the risks of different road user groups in Norway. The paper uses exposure data from the 1991/92 National Norwegian Travel Survey, accident data from official accident statistics (police-reported accidents), and hospital statistics. The official accident statistics cover approximately one third of the real number of road accidents with personal injury. Accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists are typically the ones that are most often not reported to the police. Accordingly, the risk estimates differ dramatically depending on what kind of accident data are used. Risk estimates of different road users are based on the official accident statistics. These estimates show that the motorcyclist risks (number of injured and killed per kilometre travelled) is: (1) 1.2 times higher than that of bicyclists; (2) 2 times higher than the risk of pedestrians; and (3) is about 10 times higher than the risk of car drivers. Risk estimates based on hospital data show that bicyclists are most at risk. These data are assumed to be fairly close to the real number of road user injuries. The risk distribution between age and gender within each road user group is fairly stable, regardless of accident data source.
Abstract