Rise in traffic injuries involving cyclists; 75% think helmets a good idea on e-bikes

The number of traffic injury cases involving cyclists grew by almost 15 percent in the first months of this year, with an increasing number of accidents involving cyclists on an e-bike or fat bike, according to figures by legal service provider DAS. About three-quarters of Dutch think it wise to wear a helmet on an e-bike, but few actually do so, according to a survey by Independer.

Between January and April 2024, DAS recorded 256 injury cases involving at least one cyclist, AD reports. That is almost 15 percent more than in the same period in 2023, which was also 15 percent higher than in 2022. The total number of cases involving cyclists increased from 985 in 2019 to 1,222 last year, an increase of almost a quarter.

According to a survey by the Independer, about three in four Dutch think it a good idea to wear a helmet when riding an e-bike or fat bike. Despite this, 82 percent of respondents don’t wear a helmet themselves and have no intention of doing so, the Telegraaf reports.

One in three cyclists even wants head protection to be mandatory. A quarter thinks wearing a helmet should remain a personal choice. “It is not yet in our culture,” Menno DIjcks of the Independer told the newspaper. “While accidents with electric bicycles can be various serious, partly due to the high speed.”

According to DAS, most injury cases involve collisions between cars and bicycles. “If someone hits a cyclist, it is often an e-bike or fat bike,” DAS traffic expert Rembrandt Groenewegen told AD. Motorists are not yet used to e-bikes and fat bikes, finding it difficult to predict their movements. “Drivers often say that the cyclist suddenly appeared. A normal bicycle usually goes 15 to 20 kilometers per hour. With an e-bike, that is quickly 25 to 30 kilometers per hour. Many drivers are not yet used to that.”

Groeneweg also sees two other reasons for the increase in injuries - busier roads and more distractions. “On the one hand, traffic is becoming increasingly busy; on the other hand, cyclists and drivers are more often distracted by their phones, music, navigation, and messaging apps. This contributes to the increasing number of bicycle accidents,” he said.