Risk factors for cycling accident related injury: The UK Cycling for Health Survey

There is presently little data on the health of people cycling in the UK. Data were collected using an online questionnaire from 4,961 cyclists (mean age 47.9 yrs, 79.2% men) contacted through large UK cycling organisation networks.

The questionnaire collected information on participant demographics, self-reported cycling behaviour and cycling accident-related injury. The main outcome was suffering an injury related to a cycling accident in last five years.

54.3% of the sample reported a cycling accident resulting in injury. In multivariate adjusted models, accidents were associated with age (over 6׳s had lowest risk; OR: 0.61, 95% CI, 0.47–0.78), gender (women lower risk than men; 0.86, 0.75–1.00), weekly cycling distance in a dose-dependent manner (>160 km/wk; 2.44, 2.02–2.94), cycling experience (curvilinear association), commuting (1.33, 1.17–1.51), use of various safety equipment, always stopping at red signals (0.86, 0.73–0.99), and regular use of minor roads as oppose to major roads (0.80, 0.68–0.94).

There were 842 reported head injuries, 15% of which required an overnight stay in hospital. Helmet use was associated with lower odds of being admitted overnight (0.59, 0.40–0.86).

These results represent the largest health survey of UK cyclists to date and reflect the experience of many UK cyclists regarding accident related-injury.