Cyclists and pedestrians in the Netherlands; Different needs of injury protection.

A series of analyses of injury data from hospitalized cyclists and pedestrians based on Dutch national hospital data has been carried out. The main purpose of this study is to establish the different needs of injury protection of cyclists and pedestrians, especially those colliding with cars. Contrary to the expectation based on the use of national accident data, there appeared to be an enormous number of hospitalized cyclists resulting from non-motor vehicle collisions. Their under-representation in the national accident statistics appeared even greater than the under-representation of hospitalized cyclists and pedestrians in general. This group of patients was analyzed as an additional third group. Conclusions are drawn regarding the specific injury patterns of the three groups, including the influence of age. Recommendations are given regarding both the problem of underreporting, and the means of protection against collision forces. The study forms part of a national plan regarding the stimulation of the use of bicycles in the Netherlands (Bicycle Master Plan). In this plan the imporvement of traffic safety of cyclists and the bicycle is explicitly aimed for. The study was commisioned by the former Dutch Ministry of Transport, Traffic Engineering Department (DVK). (A)