AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC-STUDY OF BICYCLE-RELATED INJURIES

The objectives of this study were to describe bicycle-related injuries in relation to injury patterns, age, gender and medical treatment in a defined Swedish population and to identify factors contributing to i njury. The study group comprised all patients living in the county of Vastmanland, Sweden, visiting a physician or dentist because of bicycl e-related injury during one year (November 1989-October 1990). Cyclist s were mostly injured on pavements, pedestrian malls and cycle tracks. Twenty percent of the events occurred on public roads in urban areas; most frequently, the injured were in the age range 0-24. The most com mon bicycle injury event involved no other party. The events were ofte n caused by environmental factors, in combination with behaviour such as excessive speed, lack of attention, breach of traffic regulations o r a co-ordination problem. Head injuries, including oral injuries, wer e the most common, in particular among children and adolescents. One i n four children in the age range 0-9 sustained an oral injury. (C) 199 7 Elsevier Science Ltd.