Attachment B - Cycling and Injuries in New South Wales

Data from matched surveys in NSW of child cyclists (under 16) in April of 1991, 1992 and 1993 are examined here. As the 1991 survey was done before the helmets law took effect for child cyclists on 1 July, the data indicate changes in their numbers from pre-law to post-law. There are no similar data for adults, as the helmets law took effect for them on 1 January 1991

In April 1991, the count of child cyclists passing chosen sites was 6072, the figure used here to represent their number in 1990 and in 1990/91, the last pre-law calendar and fiscal years respectively. At the same sites in April 1992 and 1993, the counts were 3887 and 3478, declines of 36 and 43 per cent respectively.[45]

Changes in numbers of child cyclists derived from the survey data are compared below with data for deaths and serious injuries as shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1

CHILDREN AGED 0-16 KILLED AND SERIOUSLY INJURED, NSW
(and % changes from 1990)

          Year     Cyclists       Pedestrians    All road users

          1990       152            354           1037
          1991       115            315            877                    
          1992        97   -36%     316   -11%     836   -18%
          1993       103   -32%     281   -21%     829   -20%

           (Source: Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW[46])

Table 1 includes 16 year-old cyclists. Though the matched surveys did not measure it, their numbers may well have declined more than for under 16s, as 16 year-olds are in the age group most averse to wearing helmets.[41],[42]

With no change in the risk of casualty, a decline in the number of casualties in proportion to the number of child cyclists would be expected, from 152 in 1990 to 97 in 1992 and 87 in 1993. If helmets were reducing the risk, the decline should be greater. As the actual numbers were 97 in 1992 and 103 in 1993, there is no evidence here that helmets did reduce the risk of casualty. Indeed, the contrary is indicated, even though random breath testing and other measures made the roads generally safer, as is reflected in the decline in casualties to other child road users.

Table 2 shows head injuries and other injuries to child cyclists before and after the helmets law. The numbers in brackets show what the numbers of injuries would have been if they had declined from 1990/91 in proportion to the number of cyclists.

TABLE 2

HOSPITAL SEPARATIONS, INJURIES TO NSW BICYCLISTS UNDER 16
(source: NSW Department of Health)

          Fiscal year    Head    Incr.       Other.  Incr.
                         inj.    risk        inj.    Risk
          
          1989/90        453                 1053          
          1990/91        384                  926          
          ----------------------------------------------------law for <16 y.o
          1991/92        272    (246)+ 10%    815   (593)+ 37%
          1992/93        273    (219)+ 25%    893   (528)+ 69%

Contrary to the general trend to improved road safety, for those still cycling after the law the apparent risk of head injury increased by up to 25 per cent and other injury by up to 69 per cent. Worse, on the assessment by the NHMRC, a higher proportion of diffuse brain injury is likely.

If former cyclists travel by another mode, they still may be injured. In any case, they lose the health benefits of the exercise, which the British Medical Association has estimated "are likely to outweigh the loss of life through cycling accidents".[52] The helmet laws also distract attention from measures to prevent accidents; hence, they are likely to have increased costs of medical care, not saved on them.

W.J. Curnow
18 October 1996

References

(numbers not in sequence because this is an extract from a longer paper)

41. Walker, M.B., Law compliance among cyclists in New south Wales, April 1992, A third survey, Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW, Network Efficiency Branch, Sydney, July 1992.

42. Cameron, M., Heiman, L. and Neiger, D., Evaluation of the bicycle helmet wearing law in Victoria during its first 12 months, Report No. 32, Monash University Accident Research Centre, Melbourne, July 1992.

45. Smith, N.C. and Milthorpe, F.W., An observational survey of law compliance and helmet wearing by bicyclists in New South Wales - 1993, for the New South Wales Roads and Traffic Authority, Sydney, 1993.

52. British Medical Association, Cycling towards Health & Safety, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1992, page 121.