The number of road deaths of people on bicycles has remained more or less the same for years, but the proportion of people aged 70 or older is increasing. That is what the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) sees after breaking down the figures on fatal traffic accidents in 2021. Last year, 119 people died as a result of a bicycle accident and more than 57 percent of them were over 70. In 2010, that share was still 49 percent.
Statistics Netherlands makes no statements about the cause of this rising share. When asked about the influence of the use of electric bicycles on the numbers, a spokesperson says that, just like in 2020, there are no clear indications that fast bicycles are more dangerous for the elderly than regular bicycles. “This is because it is not always registered which type of bicycle is involved in an accident. They are also increasingly difficult to recognize as such, because such a visible battery is no longer always located under the luggage carrier. So the number of electric bicycles is included in the figures. underestimated.”
Statistics Netherlands also sees that more fatal accidents occur in which a cyclist has not hit something. In twelve years, this type of cause has increased from 25 to 34 percent. Instead of colliding with a car, tree or other obstacle, cyclists then die as a result of a fall after, for example, a foot between the spokes, incorrect steering, bad road surface, slipperiness or becoming unwell. Last year, 72 percent of the people who died without hitting anything were 70 or older.
Statistics Netherlands figures from April this year already showed that the total number of road deaths has halved since 2000, despite the increased mobility. The number of motorists involved in crashes fell by 68 percent, but the number of bicycle deaths remained stable.