Northern Ireland Helmet Law DON'T CONFUSE ME WITH FACTS

[10mph]

Electric-bicycle-related injury: a rising traffic injury burden in China

Research argues for helmet legislation in China:

Abstract of an article from the journalInjury Prevention:
Electric-bicycle-related injury: a rising traffic injury burden in China
by Feng, Z; Raghuwanshi, R. P, Xu, Z, Huang, D, Zhang, C, Jin, T.

• Objective To examine the rising casualty rate related to electric bicycle usage.
• Design Analysis of the Hangzhou Police Bureau's data on electric-bicycle-related injuries and deaths.
• Setting Hangzhou, China, 2004–2008. Patients or subjects Electric-bicycle riders.
• Main outcome measure Electric-bicycle-related casualty rates in Hangzhou from 2004 to 2008.
• Results There was a significant average annual increase in electric-bicycle-related casualty rates of 2.7 per 100 000 population (95% CI 1.5 to 3.9, p=0.005). At the same time, overall road traffic and manual-bicycle-related deaths and injuries decreased.
• Conclusion As it is difficult to ban the use of electric bicycles in China, laws, rules and regulations need to be reinforced and strengthened. New regulations should be created for the safety of electric bicycle riders and others on the road, and mandatory helmet use should be considered.
  PubDate: 2010-11-29
  Issue No: Vol. 16, No. 6 (2010)

 

[Streethawk]

Interesting 10mph. I wonder if that correlates directly with the higher power of Chinese eBikes? Of course you'd expect head injuries on a 30mph eBike to be similar to a 30mph scooter, which typically requires a helmet in most countries.

 

[flecc]

Very different relevance in China of course, e-bikes there are really a form of moped, typically about 700 watts, ridden without pedalling at about 20 mph or more, and often loaded with two or more people or large extra loads.

That could be their biggest problem with any helmet law, getting all on board the "e-bike" to have and wear one, husband, wife and two kids!
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[Northern Irelander]

Research argues for helmet legislation in China:

Abstract of an article from the journalInjury Prevention:
Electric-bicycle-related injury: a rising traffic injury burden in China
by Feng, Z; Raghuwanshi, R. P, Xu, Z, Huang, D, Zhang, C, Jin, T.

• Objective To examine the rising casualty rate related to electric bicycle usage.
• Design Analysis of the Hangzhou Police Bureau's data on electric-bicycle-related injuries and deaths.
• Setting Hangzhou, China, 2004–2008. Patients or subjects Electric-bicycle riders.
• Main outcome measure Electric-bicycle-related casualty rates in Hangzhou from 2004 to 2008.
• Results There was a significant average annual increase in electric-bicycle-related casualty rates of 2.7 per 100 000 population (95% CI 1.5 to 3.9, p=0.005). At the same time, overall road traffic and manual-bicycle-related deaths and injuries decreased.
• Conclusion As it is difficult to ban the use of electric bicycles in China, laws, rules and regulations need to be reinforced and strengthened. New regulations should be created for the safety of electric bicycle riders and others on the road, and mandatory helmet use should be considered.
  PubDate: 2010-11-29
  Issue No: Vol. 16, No. 6 (2010)

Interesting, but as already pointed out by others:

Difference in speed/power and culture/crowding



In NI population is 1.6million, that's the same as a large city eg Birmingham

Less than 2% of RTA's involved cyclists.

NI allegedly had £1m ring fenced for cycle routes and cycle lanes, this was slashed to just £10k in the spending cuts.

It was only until about 12-18 months ago that cycle lanes appeared in some of Belfast's arterial routes.
Some of the outer student areas and towns (Coleraine) had cycle routes from many years back.

If they spent the money wisely and town planners actually planned properly then the 2% figure could drop even further, without even pushing this helmet legislation.

The old adage of prevention better than cure.......... segregate the cyclist from traffic is prevention and helmet being some form of cure.

 

[Streethawk]

The old adage of prevention better than cure.......... segregate the cyclist from traffic is prevention and helmet being some form of cure.

That's a nice idea, and i agree in principal, but what's the solution when a segregated cycle lane has to cross a number of side road that exit onto the main road it is segregated from?

Usually a give way marking for the cyclist, which makes these paths painfully slow for utility use. There's one section of it on my commute, its simply not worth getting on, i just stay on the road and bypass it, that way i have right of way over traffic emerging from side roads.

I suppose the ideal situatin would be to make traffic on the roads give way when crossin cycle lanes, but that would needs some serious re-education, an the costs would be huge.

 

[flecc]

what's the solution when a segregated cycle lane has to cross a number of side road that exit onto the main road it is segregated from?

Usually a give way marking for the cyclist, which makes these paths painfully slow for utility use.

Yes, primary safety (avoiding the accident) should always be the aim over secondary safety (alleviating the accident effects).

The Dutch solve the above problem the opposite way, their bikes have precedence at junctions of cycle lanes and roads, cars giving way.
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