Commuter Cyclist Accident Patterns in Toronto and Ottawa

Abstract

In this study, self-reported cyclist collision and fall information from a mail-back questionnaire was analyzed for a sample of 2,945 adult cyclists who commute to work/school in Toronto and Ottawa. Analysis focused on incident frequencies by month, time of day, location, road surface condition, and injury level. These results are presented in order to provide a valuable complement to other sources of bicycle incident data obtained primarily from emergency room hospital records. Only a small percentage of collision and fall incidents resulted in a major injury and would therefore be found in a bicycle accident database compiled from emergency room hospital records. Slightly more, 19.2 and 11.7% of the collisions in Ottawa and Toronto, respectively, were reported to police. The results of the study found that collisions were more sensitive to automobile traffic, whereas falls were more sensitive to the prevailing roadway surface conditions. There was a higher proportion of falls than collisions during the winter months in both cities. However, the severity of injuries from collisions and falls were fairly consistent across time periods. Even when the severity of collisions and falls were considered for different roadway environmental conditions and between roads and off-road, no difference was found. This analysis suggests that minor collisions and falls should be considered in accessing the safety experience of bicyclists.