Gezonder

Het eindrapport van het SHAPES-project waar ik eerder over berichtte, werd gepubliceerd. Veel conclusies werden al wel vermoed, maar worden hierdoor eindelijk cijfermatig onderbouwd.

De verkeerspolitie en ontwerpers gaan uit van verkeersongevallenstatistieken om te bepalen of infrastructuur voor zachte weggebruikers veilig is. Het aandeel van fietsers wordt telkens schromelijk onderschat doordat éénzijdig ongevallen (waar dus niemand anders bij betrokken is) niet worden gemeld: een fietser die tegen een paaltje rijdt, valt en terug recht krabbelt, geeft dit niet aan want a) teveel rompslomp en b) je trekt toch niets terug van de verzekering, en fietst de rest van de week met dikke, blauwe knie.

Enkele stukjes:

It is well known that most road accident statistics strongly underestimate the total number of cycling accidents meaning that only the tip of the iceberg is investigated

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In Belgium, only 7% of cycling accidents are officially reported (Table 15), even less than previously assumed.

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Cycling facilities built at intersections (especially suggested cycle lanes at right-of-way intersections) and parked vehicles located next to separated cycling facilities (i.e. in the door zone) also increase this risk, whereas streets where contraflow cycling is permitted reduce it (outside intersections).

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Nevertheless SHAPES has also demonstrated that exposure to air pollution and minor accident risks are far higher than assumed before. Policies should therefore be put in place to minimize those risks (and associated costs) and maximize the health benefits.

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From the 179 body parts that were injured, the knee was hurt in 20% of the cases (Table 14). Injuries were mainly located on the lower extremity (45%) and upper extremity (41%). Head injuries are relatively rare. Twenty four participants (34%) were injured only at one body part.

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This means that it is very important to deviate cyclists to roads with low traffic volumes or to car-free roads / areas, or at least build the cycling lanes as far away as possible from busy roads.