DI 18 APR 2023
The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) released its annual figures related to traffic fatalities. In 2022, 737 people died in traffic, 147 more than in 2021, the highest figure since 2008. The highest increase was among older cyclists, especially those over 75. Meldpunt spoke with SafetyNL and a young inventor about possible solutions.
The number of traffic deaths in 2022 was nearly 27 percent higher than the previous year, CBS reports. More men (522) than women (215) were killed in traffic. The number of cyclists killed was the highest in 27 years. There were 291 bicyclist fatalities in 2022, 84 more than in 2021.
But among over-75s on bicycles, the number of fatal accidents is most striking. CBS records a 59 percent increase compared to 2021: 150 deaths in 2022, up from 94 the year before. Meldpunt previously reported on this.
Collisions with (van) cars fatalized cyclists most often, accounting for half of all cases: 141 bicycle fatalities, 60 more than in 2021. But - presumably most people don't expect this - a quarter of all bicycle fatalities were due to single-vehicle accidents. So sans collision. That can happen after a fall from the bicycle, for example, due to sudden unwellness, a steering error, a hole in the road or a protruding tree root. Of these bicycle victims, more than 2/3rds were over 75 years old.
Joris Koops is the inventor of a self-contained fall detection system that works without the use of an app on a smartphone. With the help of medics, he developed this invention with startup Bypoint. He has devised a device with a built-in SIM card that can be mounted to the frame, which registers a fall and reports it immediately. This is useful for the cyclist alone, who falls in the middle of nowhere without immediate help. If the victim does not respond within 1 minute to the question from a loudspeaker whether he or she has fallen, the first on a list of 3 contacts receives a text message with the GPS data of the accident scene. This person, if not too far away, can come to the rescue himself or call 911. Otherwise, the next person on the list gets a message.
"This way, the victim saves a lot of time," Koops said. "We speak of the golden hour ('golden hour') for bicycle victims. If they are found and helped within that hour, they can survive. So that's crucial. You could say that a bicycle helmet can also help here, but there are also accidents where the cyclist ends up with the chest on the handlebars and bleeds." The system also works to prevent future accidents. Koops shares the data of accident sites, for example, with the county, which can then efficiently repair or modify bike lanes to increase safety for road users.
Martijntje Bakker, director of VeiligheidNL, recognizes the importance of sharing data to prevent future accidents. To this end, the organization is working with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. Because road surface quality is a serious concern. "We collect ambulance data, because the police only come to the serious accidents," she says. "But there are also ordinary traffic casualties. We also want to prevent that as much as possible. Furthermore, we link that data to that of emergency rooms, types of injuries and locations. All that data should eventually be made available in a dashboard to road authorities to improve dangerous situations on our roads."
Bakker still wants to take the opportunity to emphasize the necessity of a bicycle helmet as a means of prevention. Together with a consortium that includes Veilig Verkeer Nederland, ANWB and the Brain Foundation, they are organizing the Day of the Bicycle Helmet on April 19, 2023. A helmet prevents not only fatal injuries, but also head and brain damage. Bakker: "Research shows that helmet use reduces the risk of brain injury by 1/3. The risk of head injury is reduced 62 percent."
(Source: Maxmeldpunt, CBS, VeiligheidNL; Photo: Shutterstock)
You can find the original article via Omroep Max's website.