Bicycle Safety

In the Augusat 2010 issue of the Journal of the Australian College of Road Safety is a special issue dedicated to Bicycling Safety. They have these peer-reviewed papers on safety issues:

• Crash prediction models and the factors that influence cycle safety
• Cycling injuries in Australia: Road safety’s blind spot?
• Child cyclist traffic casualties: The situation in South Australia
• The effects of bicycle helmet legislation on cycling-related injury
• Cyclist visibility at night
• The role of traffic violations in police-reported bicycle crashes in Queensland
• Painting a designated space: Cyclist and driver compliance at cycling infrastructure at intersections

They also have the following articles:

• A note on the central stories of fatal and other cyclist accidents in Adelaide
• Piloting a Safe Cycle education program
• Encouraging safer cycling through the NSW BikePlan
• Cycling safety in the Australian Capital Territory
• Cycling safety in Victoria
• The Australian Bicycle Council and the National Cycling Strategy
• The Amy Gillett Foundation ‘A metre matters’ campaign and other initiatives
• The politics of cycling and cycling advocacy

There is lots to read and I have just started but an interesting peer reviewed article is the one on crash prediction models. The graph showing the improved safety due to increased numbers of cyclists is quite well known.
The reduction in risk as length of cycle lane increases:
And the reduced risk as speeds reduce:
Kerbside parking is always a problem for cyclists. It is interesting though that low parking utilisation in the kerbside lane is more dangerous for cyclists than high parking use. This is likely due to the fact that cyclists use the empty lane and then need to enter traffic when there is a parked car. This increases the risk as drivers may not expect them.