The number of fatalities with serious injuries has increased by 18 percent since 2012. Last year, 110,000 traffic victims were treated at the Emergency Department (ED), including more than 66,000 with serious injuries. A third of the latter group was a cyclist aged 55 or older. The number of single bicycle accidents (in which no one else was involved) increased by 42 percent among this age group in ten years.
The increase may be explained by the increased use of electric bicycles in traffic. According to the study by SafetyNL, victims with an electric bicycle had a higher risk of injury requiring emergency treatment than victims with a normal bicycle. “Electric bicycles are becoming more and more common in traffic, for young and old alike. In-depth research will have to show how much greater this increased risk is and indicate the underlying causes,” says Martijntje Bakker, director and director of SafetyNL.
According to the knowledge centre, the research shows, among other things, the importance of wearing a bicycle helmet. This would reduce the risk of brain injury by a third. Cycling keeps young and old moving and contributes to a healthy life. Above all, keep doing it, but don’t take unnecessary risks,” says Bakker.