How common are cycle deaths?

[Ellis456]

Are we statistically worse off then motorbikes or less?. Does anyone know the statistics?. And whats the chance of being injured or involved in an accident?.




Thanks.

 

[gaz]

Too common.

 

[HLaB]

I try to reassure my self that its proven that the benefits of cycling healthwise, outweigh the risks by a factor of 20 to 1, although from all the threads lately it seems too common but even 1 death is too common

 

[numbnuts]

I have no idea, but I have posted a lot of R.I.P. this year

 

[jonny jeez]

http://wales.gov.uk/...106231/?lang=en

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/hub/re...s&pagetype=calendar-entry&lday=&lmonth=&lyear=

this link talks about welsh casualties, I'm sure with some clicking you can find UK or City specific data here.

good luck, may I ask why you want to know?

 

[Red Light]

Are we statistically worse off then motorbikes or less?. Does anyone know the statistics?. And whats the chance of being injured or involved in an accident?.

About one death per 40 million km cycled. So if you cycled say 2,500 miles a year, it would be 10,000 years on average before you had a fatal accident. For a serious injury, most of which are fairly minor and recoverable from, its once every 400 years. That's less than the risk of walking where you want to go and a third of the risk of motorcycling.

The problem is its a bit like flying. People's perception of the risk is massively greater than the actual riks

 

[Red Light]

I have no idea, but I have posted a lot of R.I.P. this year

That's one of the problems with a forum like this - it collects up every incident and shares it forgetting that there were over half a million cycle journeys in London alone yesterday.

Bit like the lottery really. We all hear about the winners but the chance of any of us winning it is negligible. In fact it has been calculated that as a middle aged person you have more chance of dying during the lottery draw than winning it.

 

[jonny jeez]

Are we statistically worse off then motorbikes or less?. Does anyone know the statistics?. And whats the chance of being injured or involved in an accident?.

Thanks.

I'd be tempted to ignore stats and ask opinion form riders in your demographic.

I know Dartford fairly well and appreciate the speed of the roads in the area so my gut feel would be that Motorcycle riders (especially teens on scooters, which I assume Dartford has a high population of) suffer more casualties in your neck of the woods.

 

[BSRU]

Statistically cycling is more dangerous than driving but less dangerous the motorcycling.

 

[jonny jeez]

The problem is its a bit like flying. People's perception of the risk is massively greater than the actual riks

that's very true. I sat a road awareness course about 5 years ago and one question was "what roads are the safest". Every one agreed that country lanes were safest and motorways the most dangerous.

We were all wrong, motorways have in fact very few accidents per user and those that occur are responded to in a very short period. Unfortunately, due to speed of travel, the percentage of deaths PER ACCIDENT is high on motorways, hence peoples perception.

country roads have the highest fatality rates of all, due to the fact that they go unnoticed for so long and people can literally be trapped for days.



In a similar way, flying is one of the safest ways to travel…statistically

 

[Titan yer tummy]

About one death per 40 million km cycled. So if you cycled say 2,500 miles a year, it would be 10,000 years on average before you had a fatal accident. For a serious injury, most of which are fairly minor and recoverable from, its once every 400 years. That's less than the risk of walking where you want to go and a third of the risk of motorcycling.

Statistically very good until you become one of the fatalities when the risk factor suddenly jumps to 100%

Two in Ireland this week.

TyT

 

[Dan B]

that's very true. I sat a road awareness course about 5 years ago and one question was "what roads are the safest". Every one agreed that country lanes were safest and motorways the most dangerous.

We were all wrong, motorways have in fact very few accidents per user and those that occur are responded to in a very short period.

It would be interesting to know how much of this is due to risk compensation: people "know" that motorways are dangerous and country lanes safe, therefore they take more care on motorways and less on country roads, therefore motorways are safer because people are by and large paying more attention.

Obviously it's not the only factor: standards of construction, junction design, signage etc all play a part and quite possible a more significant part. I have no idea how you'd test it either (preferably in a simulator, though)

 

[tyred]

Statistically very good until you become one of the fatalities when the risk factor suddenly jumps to 100%

Two in Ireland this week.

TyT

I think it's about 7 or 8 in a typical year in Ireland from what I recall.
Like you say, it's passes over your head until it is actually you, or someone you know.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

It would be interesting to know how much of this is due to risk compensation: people "know" that motorways are dangerous and country lanes safe, therefore they take more care on motorways and less on country roads, therefore motorways are safer because people are by and large paying more attention.

Obviously it's not the only factor: standards of construction, junction design, signage etc all play a part and quite possible a more significant part. I have no idea how you'd test it either (preferably in a simulator, though)

Odd. I always think of motorways as being safer than country lanes. No blind bends, no narrow lanes, more room to overtake and in some places only 10MPH faster.

 

[Titan yer tummy]

Odd. I always think of motorways as being safer than country lanes. No blind bends, no narrow lanes, more room to overtake and in some places only 10MPH faster.

+1

Country lanes frighten the living daylights out of me. Give me the Elephant and Castle in rush hour any day!

TyT