There are many overviews of cycling safety available throughout the web. The following is a collection of some of the most relevant to the Australian context:
Australia
- Cycling safety
Paul Barclay, 10 March 2010, Australia Talks: ABC Radio National
As our cities become more congested and we are encouraged to reduce our carbon footprint, more Australians are riding bicycles. In Melbourne alone, the number of cyclists on the cities' roads has soared by up to 50 per cent during peak hour in the past year. But each year, on average, 35 cyclists are killed in Australia, and more than 2,500 are seriously injured on our roads. Many more incidents go unreported. Is enough being done to safely accommodate the growing number of cyclists on the roads?
Guests - Garry Brennan (Spokesman, Bicycle Victoria), Clinical Associate Professor Chris Rissell (Director, Health Promotion Unit, Sydney South West Area Health Service), Stephen Hodge (Spokesman, Cycling Promotion Fund), Alton Twine (Executive Director South East Queensland Network Planning, Queensland Dept. Transport & Main Roads) and Marilyn Johnson (Researcher, Monash University Accident Research Centre)
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Podcast - Visit Site - Road Safety in Australia: A Publication Commemorating World Health Day 2004
Australian Transport Safety Bureau, 2004, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra
An easy to read introduction to Road Safety issues in Australia with a summary of Australian cycling safety in Chapter 23 (and Pedestrians in Chapter 24).
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New South Wales
- Even the best equipped riders are more vulnerable in traffic than vehicle drivers. Riding defensively and scanning the road can improve your safety. Learning how to share the road safely could save you your life.
Visit Site - RTA's - Getting around by bike?
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- RTA's - Safe riding - A guide to safe cycling
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International
- Target pavement cyclists, say MPs
21 October 2009, BBC News
The government should do more to target "irresponsible behaviour" by cyclists - particularly when they break traffic laws, a committee of MPs has said.
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Improving road safety for pedestrians and cyclists in Great Britain (2009) House of Commons Report View PDF - British Medical Association (BMA), website, Cycling
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This page lists some influential print resources. In particular:- BMA, 1992, Cycling towards health and safety, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, BMA location: BMA 649
The BMA has noted that many people who would like to cycle choose not to because they are concerned about safety. In Cycling towards health and safety they cite a UK study which showed that, while about 140 people are killed each year while cycling, around 20,000 others die prematurely due to a lack of exercise. The study has estimated that regular cycling provides a net benefit to personal health that greatly outweighs its risk of injury.
- BMA, 1992, Cycling towards health and safety, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, BMA location: BMA 649
- The European Network for Cycling Expertise (Velo.Info)
Cycling and Safety
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A succinct summary of relevant issues from one of the peak European cycling organisations. - Collection of Cycle Concepts
Jensen, S.U. et al, 2000, Danish Road Directorate, Copenhagen, Denmark
While primarily intended for traffic planners, this book may be useful to anyone interested in cycling. It contains many different topics and examples and is well indexed to function as a reference work. It has a succinct explanation of data showing that the higher the level of cycling, the lower the incidence of crashes involving cyclists as well as integrated thoughts on security of cyclists, particularly while parking their bikes when they are more vulnerable.
View PDF - Cyclecraft: the complete guide to safe and enjoyable cycling for adults and children
Franklin, J.,2007, The Stationary Office, ISBN 978-0-11-703740-3
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- Cyclecraft offers practical advice on how to ride a bike confidently and safely in modern traffic conditions. It is recommended reading for the UK National Cycle Training Standard, Bikeability
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- Cyclecraft offers practical advice on how to ride a bike confidently and safely in modern traffic conditions. It is recommended reading for the UK National Cycle Training Standard, Bikeability
- US National Center for Bicycling and Walking, Traffic Justice Initiative
This page details a campaign to redefine societal perspectives on motor vehicle crashes, and substantially reduce their occurrence. It also hosts a good variety of original perspectives on motor vehicle crashes from the view point of cyclists and pedestrians.
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Comments on Motor Vehicle Drivers Vs. Cyclists
Australia
New Zealand
International
- How Much Do Bicyclists Really Slow Down Drivers?
Sarah Goodyear, 20 July 2009, StreetsBlog
What is it about bicycles that drives some motorists so crazy?
Anyone who's ever ridden a bike more than a handful of times in this country has experienced it. The honking, the rude remarks, the vehicles speeding past with drivers shouting "get out of my way."
Visit Site - The Case for a Better Bike Infrastructure (and Better Driver Training)
Lloyd Alter, 21 July 2009, Canada: TreeHugger - Cars & Transportation (bikes)
I used to think that bikes had full rights to share the road; then I thought we needed more bike lanes. But even those evidently don't work. Now I think we need a separate but equal infrastructure to stop this carnage.
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