News

Almost 75% of cyclists killed in Dublin were hit by HGVs turning left

An eye opening report prepared by Dublin City Council from Garda statistics last year on cycling accidents throws up some revealing statistics on accidents involving cyclists.

There were approximately 427 collisions involving cyclists reported to the Garda in Dublin city over the period (2002 to 2006), 11 of which involved fatalities.

11 Fatalities

• 8 of these deaths were of cyclists killed by left-turning Lorries
• 1 involved a vehicle hitting a cyclist when changing lanes
• 1 a vehicle rear-ended the cyclist
• 1 was caused by a stolen vehicle driving head on into a cyclist.

Cars involved in 70% of cyclist accidents

• Almost 70 per cent off all cycle collisions involved cars.
• Left-turning vehicles were involved the majority of fatalities,
• The most common collision involved right-turning cars. These accounted for just fewer than 20 per cent of incidents.
• The next most common type is classified as “side swipes”, accounting for 15 per cent of collisions. These occur where a vehicle overtaking a cyclist or changing lanes hits the bicycle.
• Door opening accidents accounted for about 14 per cent of incidents
• Left-turning vehicles hitting cyclists accounted for just over 12 per cent.

Crashes where the fault is more likely to be attributable to the cyclist accounted for a much smaller proportion of incidents. In just over 4 per cent a cyclist hit a pedestrian, while in fewer than 3 per cent of collisions a cyclist turned right into on-coming traffic.

The more serious a crash, the more likely it was to involve a vehicle turning left, according to the report.

While 73 per cent of fatalities were at a left turn (all involving HGVs) almost one-third resulting in serious injury to the cyclist involved a left-turning vehicle.

November the most dangerous month to cycle in Dublin?

The report also found that November was the worst month for collisions.

Cyclists between the ages of 20 and 29 were the most likely to be involved in incidents.

The traffic department is to put recommendations to city councilors tomorrow. Chief among these is a recommendation that Cyclops mirrors be fitted to HGVs so they can better see cyclists on their left. The report found that in the majority of left-turning collisions the HGV driver did not see the cyclist.

It also recommends that all cycle lanes be inspected annually.

Several collisions occurred when cyclists were forced to move out of the lane to avoid potholes or sunken gullies.

Top four types of cycle accidents

• Drivers turning right in front of an oncoming bicycle.
• Drivers hitting a bicycle when overtaking or changing lanes.
• Car doors being opened in front of cyclists.
• Drivers hitting cyclists when turning left.

Recommendations

• Segregation of bicycles and HGVs where possible.
• Awareness campaign on the danger of left-turning HGVs.
• Upgrade of cycle lanes to remove potholes, sunken gullies and poor surfaces.
• Enforcement of legislation regarding the use of bicycle lights.
• Encourage more cycling to produce a “safety in numbers” effect.
• Provide additional cycling infrastructure on a “most used routes” priority basis.
• “Cyclops” mirrors made compulsory on all HGVs.
  

Dublin Bikes Launch new service

September 2009 saw the introduction of a bicycle access scheme to Dublin 450 bikes became available to member of the public in what has been a resounding success. The bikes are available for use throughout the city for a nominal fee from various stations listed below

List of Dublin Bike stations:

There are a variety of ways you can avail of this great service
+ a Long Term Hire Card for an annual fee of €10
+ A 3 Day Ticket which costs just €2.

If you have registered, the first 30 minutes of every journey is free.

Dublin Bikes have issued a series of recommendations to help cyclist enjoy the service in a safe manner.
For Further information check out www.dublinbikes.ie

Road Safety Guidelines from Dublin Bikes.

• Respect road signs and signals (red lights, one-way streets, stop signs, 
• Rules of the Road apply to all road users.
• Do not cycle on footpaths.
• Cycle in single file even when cycling in a group.
• Signal changes of direction with your arm.
• Watch out for vehicle doors opening.
• Do not undertake vehicles if they are turning left.
• On the road, keep left. Unless specific paths are provided, you must follow this rule to ensure the safety of everyone on the road.
• Always consider your own safety and that of others at all times.
• Be aware of other cyclists and ensure they can always see you.
• Always look out for pedestrians, particularly at traffic lights and pedestrian crossings.
• Always be alert to what’s happening around you. Wearing headphones while cycling is not advised.
• When you brake in an emergency, keep your weight on the saddle.

Advice from Dublin bikes

Before you set out, here are some helpful tips to make your journey comfortable and safe.

• Adjust the saddle to waist level; you should be able to put your feet on the ground.
• Check the brakes, tyres and lighting are working.
• Adapt your speed to suit weather conditions.
• Wear reflective clothing in bad weather conditions and at night.
• Do not transport passengers; the db is designed to carry only one person.
• We recommend that you wear a cycling helmet and high visibility clothing.

Your liability

• You must adhere to the General Conditions of Access and Use.
• To use Dublin bikes, you must be at least 14 years of age (minimum height: 1.5M).
• Public liability insurance covering cycling related accidents is recommended to use the service.
• When returning your db, ensure that it is locked correctly on its stand.
• Use the anti-theft device if you are leaving your db for a short period.
• You must return your db within 24 hours. After that, the guarantee of €150 will be debited and the db will be reported stolen.
• Do not lend the db or your subscription card to any other person (you are bound by the General Conditions of Access and Use).