New research reveals how most cyclists are killed or injured on Irish roads as well as their age profile and breakdown of head or spinal injuries.
A new study by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has identified the driver behaviour and junction types most likely to result in serious injury or death for cyclists.
The data, released to coincide with Road Safety Week, found there was a 59 per cent increase in cycling injuries on the roads of the Republic in 2012, to 630 cases.
Almost half of cyclists injured in 2012 came to harm at junctions, with T-junctions representing the most dangerous type of junction.
The most dangerous manoeuvres taken by drivers include right turns, followed by left turns.
These manoeuvres by drivers accounted for almost 4 in 10 injuries to cyclists in 2012.
Chief executive of the RSA, Moyagh Murdock said the 2012 figures – which are the most up to date available – represented a 10-year high in the number of cyclists injured on the roads.
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“Over 80 per cent of cyclist injuries happen in built up areas so cyclists need to be extra vigilant about their safety when cycling in cities or towns,” she said.
“Drivers need to respect that cyclists have less protection and therefore they should reduce their speeds accordingly and give cyclists plenty of room to perform manoeuvres.
“Cyclists also need to take responsibility for their safety by wearing a helmet and high vis clothing, and by behaving appropriately on the roads, in accordance with the rules of the road.”
Ms Murdock made her comments at an academic lecture organised by the RSA and also addressed by director of the National Spinal Injuries Unit Seamus Morris and Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe.
Dr Morris said spinal and head injuries had increased during the cycling boom in Ireland, with one third of cyclists injured on Irish roads presenting to hospital with head injuries.
He said the importance of wearing cycling helmets “cannot be underestimated”.
A consultant orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Morris said the National Spinal Injuries Unit saw a 320 per cent increase in the number of cyclists presenting with spinal injuries over a five-year period; from five cases in 2010 to 21 cases last year.
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Over that time, a total of 53 cyclists required admission, of whom 21 per cent had spinal cord injuries.
He added cyclists accounted for only two per cent of all road users but made up eight per cent of all injuries on the roads. And most cyclists injured were men aged between 25 and 50 years old.
“They tend to be travelling at higher speeds,” he said.
Cyclists over the age of 50 years had a 40 per cent higher chance of being injured on the roads. And 83 per cent of cycling accidents involved another vehicle.
Prof Michael Gilchrist, head of the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at University College Dublin presented the results of his study ‘Analysis and Reconstruction of Bicycle Accidents’.
His team used data from 37 fatal collisions involving cyclists in Ireland over a 10-year period and staged computer reconstructions to determine whether a helmet would have offered protection.
The study found that bicycle helmets offered effective protection at low speeds of less than 50kph but their protective capabilities were reduced as speeds increase.
However, Minister Donohoe said while he would encourage all cyclists to wear helmets, he had no plans to make them compulsory because they would discourage cycling.
“Over the past few years, the number of cyclists on our roads has increased and so too has the number of cycling-related injuries and fatalities,” he said.
“Cyclists are among the most vulnerable road-users so it is vital that safety measures, such as a helmet and high vis clothing, are taken when out on the roads, as well as abiding by the rules of the road.
“I would also appeal to drivers to ensure they exercise caution and consideration when sharing the roads with cyclists.
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