Personal and trip characteristics associated with safety equipment use by injured adult bicyclists: a cross-sectional study

BMC Public Health

Meghan Winters⁹  Shelina Babul³  Nancy Smith Lea⁷  Michael D Cusimano⁸  Mary Chipman⁸  Garth Hunte⁴  Melody Monro²  Hui Shen²  Conor CO Reynolds¹  M Anne Harris⁵  Peter A Cripton^1,10  Steven M Friedman⁶  Jeff R Brubacher⁴  Kay Teschke² 

[1] Liu Institute for Global Issues, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada;School of Population and Public Health, 2206 East Mall, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada;British Columbia Injury Research and Prevention Unit, Vancouver, BC, Canada;Department of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada;Occupational Cancer Research Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada;Emergency Medicine, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada;Toronto Centre for Active Transportation, Toronto, ON, Canada;School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada;Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada;Department of Mechanical Engineering, ICORD and the Brain Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

关键词: Bicycle helmet;    Visibility;    Bicycle safety;    Active transport;   

Others  :  1163123
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-12-765

 received in 2012-06-06, accepted in 2012-09-03,  发布年份 2012

【 摘 要 】

Background

The aim of this study was to estimate use of helmets, lights, and visible clothing among cyclists and to examine trip and personal characteristics associated with their use.

Methods

Using data from a study of transportation infrastructure and injuries to 690 adult cyclists in Toronto and Vancouver, Canada, we examined the proportion who used bike lights, conspicuous clothing on the torso, and helmets on their injury trip. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine associations between personal and trip characteristics and each type of safety equipment.

Results

Bike lights were the least frequently used (20% of all trips) although they were used on 77% of trips at night. Conspicuous clothing (white, yellow, orange, red) was worn on 33% of trips. Helmets were used on 69% of trips, 76% in Vancouver where adult helmet use is required by law and 59% in Toronto where it is not. Factors positively associated with bike light use included night, dawn and dusk trips, poor weather conditions, weekday trips, male sex, and helmet use. Factors positively associated with conspicuous clothing use included good weather conditions, older age, and more frequent cycling. Factors positively associated with helmet use included bike light use, longer trip distances, hybrid bike type, not using alcohol in the 6 hours prior to the trip, female sex, older age, higher income, and higher education.

Conclusions

In two of Canada’s largest cities, helmets were the most widely used safety equipment. Measures to increase use of visibility aids on both daytime and night-time cycling trips may help prevent crashes.

【 授权许可】

   
2012 Teschke et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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