Another news article

[flecc]

E-bike crash death prompts debate over safety on UK roads

Two items in a row on the Radio 4 "You and Yours" program today:

"There's been a large increase in cyclist and pedestrian collisions. Who is to blame, the cyclists or the pedestrians?".

"There's been a large increase in cases of youngsters suffering sleep deprivation".

If ever there was a case of answering one's own questions, this is it. It's smartphones of course, jaywalking looking at screens when stepping into roads, and constantly checking phones 24/7 wrecking sleep patterns.
.

 

[wheeler]

I haven't spent the time to analyse the figures presented in the Telegraph article, but as it refers to the number of KSIs (killed or seriously injured) an increase in serious injuries will appear as a worsening overall trend.
The lower traffic speeds will reduce the severity of impact turning a fatal into a seriously injured.
I seem to remember a similar result after seat belt use was made compulsory. The objectors to the law jumped on an increase in KSIs but the increase was made up by people who survived injured rather than dying.

wheeler

 

[GLJoe]

Bit more balanced than some reports but ...

What I liked was the statistic from the Netherlands, where apparently 30% of bike sales are for ebikes, but also, 25% of the bike related fatalities were attributed to ebikes.

I'm waiting for some keen journalist with their typical deductive powers, to jump on those figures and come to the conclusion that you are actually 5% less likely to die on an ebike compared to a non powered one!

We can but hope. The good news is that if it happens, 95% of the population will just take it at face value