Route infrastructure and the risk of injuries to bicyclists: a case-crossover study.
OBJECTIVE
We compared cycling injury risks of 14 route types and other route infrastructure features.


METHODS
We recruited 690 city residents injured while cycling in Toronto or Vancouver, Canada. A case-crossover design compared route infrastructure at each injury site to that of a randomly selected control site from the same trip.


RESULTS
Of 14 route types, cycle tracks had the lowest risk (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.11; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.02, 0.54), about one ninth the risk of the reference: major streets with parked cars and no bike infrastructure. Risks on major streets were lower without parked cars (adjusted OR = 0.63; 95% CI = 0.41, 0.96) and with bike lanes (adjusted OR = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.29, 1.01). Local streets also had lower risks (adjusted OR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.31, 0.84). Other infrastructure characteristics were associated with increased risks: streetcar or train tracks (adjusted OR = 3.0; 95% CI = 1.8, 5.1), downhill grades (adjusted OR = 2.3; 95% CI = 1.7, 3.1), and construction (adjusted OR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.3, 2.9).


CONCLUSIONS
The lower risks on quiet streets and with bike-specific infrastructure along busy streets support the route-design approach used in many northern European countries. Transportation infrastructure with lower bicycling injury risks merits public health support to reduce injuries and promote cycling.
School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. kay.teschke@ubc.ca
Kay
K
Teschke
M Anne
MA
Harris
Conor C O
CC
Reynolds
Meghan
M
Winters
Shelina
S
Babul
Mary
M
Chipman
Michael D
MD
Cusimano
Jeff R
JR
Brubacher
Garth
G
Hunte
Steven M
SM
Friedman
Melody
M
Monro
Hui
H
Shen
Lee
L
Vernich
Peter A
PA
Cripton
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001642:Bicycling / Q000293:injuries* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety; D055815:Young Adult