The Bicycle Master Plan was launched in 1990 and concluded in 1996. To mark its conclusion, a study was carried out to assess developments in road safety for cyclists. An overview of future measures was also compiled. Since 1950, there have been three broad periods: (1) 1950-1975: an increase in the number of deaths, mainly among young and old cyclists, coinciding with a sharp increase in car-use; (2) 1975-1990: a decline in the number of deaths among cyclists per distance cycled, coinciding with increased bicycle-use; the absolute number of deaths among cyclists either rose or feil depending on age, gender, and injury severity; and (3) 1990-1995: the number of injured cyclists remained stable, with one exception; the number of deaths per distance cycled fell more slowly than before; bicycle use remained more or less constant. In the last few years, road injury registrations have become more complete. They reveal that more than 60,000 cyclists are injured and require First Aid each year; 6,500 of these are admitted to hospital and over 250 succumb to their injuries. Serious injuries to cyclists are often caused by collision with another road user; in the case of minor injuries there is often no other party involved. It is not yet known whether the incidence of minor injuries to cyclists is rising or falling; nor is much known about the measures needed to reduce the number of such injuries. The Death Rate (ratio of deaths among cyclists per distance cycled) contains a very high proportion of older people, since the effects of an accident for such individuals are far more serious. The ratio is especially unfavourable for older male cyclists in small municipalities. The ratio of hospital admissions to distance cycled is especially unfavourable for older female cyclists in small municipalities. Measures to prevent serious injury as a result of collisions between bicycles and cars focus mainly on changes to the road system, such as those included in the recent proposals for a structurally safe traffic system. This should in the long term result in a substantial decline in the number of seriously injured cyclists. However, these proposals do not contain enough detailed plans to prevent collisions between bicycles and cars at busy intersections and roads, even though it is here that most deaths and serious injuries occur. Even a structurally safe road system must be backed up by a code of behaviour and supplementary measures in the form of education, instruction and public information campaigns designed to improve road use among drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. A wide range of other measures could also be used, such as measures to improve observational skills, cycling skills and protection from injury. The number of road deaths among young adults undertaking short, daily journeys in urban areas is lower among cyclists than among car users. Bicycle use could thereby compare favourably with other types of transport in more situations, certainly if conditions were made safer for cyclists. (A) This report consists of excerpts from the SWOV publication titled "Masterplan fiets en verkeersveiligheid" (see C 8220 (ITRD 891634)). It contains the Summary (of the whole report) together with chapter 6 regarding the recommended measures to be taken in the short term.
Samenvatting