1. No pain, no gain? Preventing cycling injuries in a world of expanding waist-lines.
Rob Benington
Injury Prevention Manager, Avonsafe Co-ordinator
NHS Bristol

4. Cycling is good for you
Physical activity is strongly associated with improvements in:
Mental wellbeing
Risk of cancer
Weight management
Cardiovascular health
Reduced CO2 emissions/ urban liveability, etc.
NHS Bristol wants more people to cycle more often and for longer.

5. Injuries are bad for you
Injury is not inevitable
We can reduce risk of injury and increase health benefits at the same time.

6. “Injuries do not occur by chance
“Injuries do not occur by chance. They are largely preventable, non-random events, and not “accidents”. Certain groups of people with certain characteristics are more likely to be injured. By studying how injuries vary within a population, we can begin to gain an understanding of the factors that lead to injury, and how the risk of injury may be reduced”.
Injury Prevention, British Medical Association, 2001.

7. c. 13% of all attendances at emergency departments are admitted.
“A total of 3,192 people were killed or seriously injured on UK roads while riding a bicycle last year”.
The Times,
A total of 17,653 English cyclists were admitted to hospital with an injury during , an increase of
1,611 (9%) on
c. 13% of all attendances at emergency departments are admitted.
Ormel, 1999
Serious: an injury for which a person is detailed in hospital or any of the following –fractures, concussion internal injuries, crushings sever cuts or lacerations, general shock requiring medical treatment
c. 135,700 cyclists from England and
c. 160,000 from the UK were admitted to hospital or treated in an emergency department during
NHS Bristol, 2012

8. Cyclist injuries resulting in admission (England)
Collision: Pedestrian / animal
117
Collision: Other cyclist
396
Collision: 2-3 wheeled motor vehicle 76
Collision: Car, pick up truck or van
2,450
Collision: Heavy transport vehicle or bus
180
Collision: Railway train or railway vehicle 2
Collision: Other non-motor vehicle 24
Collision: Fixed and stationary object
681
Non-collision incident
12,301
Other and unspecified
1,426
Total Cyclists
17,653
(Total car occupants)
14,573

9. Travel and transport injuries
Non-collision injuries

10. What stops people cycling?

11. Non-collision cycling incidents
Caused 69% of cycling-injury admissions in England between ( )
Caused c.95,000 cyclists to seek emergency treatment last year in England
Are preventable
On average, cause less serious injuries than collisions but can be fatal. (70% cause no injury that requires treatment).
Require more research
Impose a removable barrier to starting cycling, keeping cycling and encouraging others to cycle.

12. Latest findings… www.tinyurl.com\avonsafecycling
1. Slippery road surfaces
2. Poor road surfaces
3. Kerbs and rail lines

13. Risk management 1. Remove the risk 2. Avoid the risk
3. Mitigate the risk
4. Accept and adapt to the risk
5. Take the risk

14. 2. Avoidance

15. 3. Mitigation

16. 4. Adaptation

17. 5. Acceptance – Informed consent
(Thanks to the Highways Agency who designed the poster)

18. keeps cyclists cycling.
Keeping cyclists safe,
keeps cyclists cycling.