This paper summarises some recent research on cycle safety in the UK by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL). This hospital-based research indicates a small proportion of the actual number of casualties to cyclists in the UK, because only about 30% of injuries to cyclists on the road are recorded by the police. This is mainly due to under-reporting by accident victims. Also, police often underestimate the severity of injuries to cyclists, including concussion, fractures, and skin injuries, because they are often not obvious without a medical examination. 49% of the hospital casualties studied had head or face injuries. TRL surveyed the rates at which child and adult cyclists wore helmets in 1994 and 1996, and found a slight increase in adult rates but a slight decrease in child rates. There will be a wider survey in 1999. TRL is reviewing international helmet promotion initiatives, and will report back to road safety practitioners on good practices. It has recently researched the effectiveness of child cycle training schemes, to find out how far such training had a beneficial and lasting effect on children's road safety knowledge and cycling skills. The effectiveness of eight different types of training course was evaluated and reported. Beneficial effects were found, which lasted for at least two years.
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