Researchers from Barts Hospital in London have developed a web-app to help them better understand injuries sustained by cyclists in the Capital.
The Bespoke Project is a collaboration being led by the research teams of the Orthopaedic and Emergency Departments of Barts Health NHS Trust. The Bespoke team is undertaking research to gather information about bicycle related injuries, and will then use the data to work with key stakeholders in a bid to reduce casualties among cyclists in London.
The project team has developed a crowdsourcing web-app that can be used to log cycle accidents, injuries and near misses. Reporting through the app will enable a real time picture of cycling related accidents to be developed, and a map of accident hotspots to be created.
Going forward, the study will look at the circumstances surrounding accidents and the severity of injuries sustained by patients attending emergency departments, and explore as how well patients recover from their injuries.
The team is encouraging cyclists to become involved in the Bespoke project by using the app.
The project is supported by Jon Snow, presenter, journalist and cycling champion, who said: "The innovative Bespoke data project lead by researchers in London’s biggest Emergency Department is key to unlocking data which is currently lacking from the debate about cycle safety in London. I urge all London cyclists to get involved."
I think Bob’s point is that near miss data is not collected and neither is (very) minor (single vehicle) damage or injuries (even if precipitated by avoiding another road user). My only concern is that the results will be skewed by the reporting method preferring younger and (particularly if it is only for iPhone) richer riders.
Mark, Caerphilly
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The injuries sustained in typical motorcycle accidents are well known in the medical profession as there has been many years of data to look at. The Helibikes website has a useful primer on the types of injuries that are usually encountered.
Injuries occur due to many reasons, but some of the major factors are:
What primary obstacle has been crashed into. What was the speed of impact. What was the angle of impact. What protection was worn by the rider, did it fit properly and was it worn properly.
Of course cyclists and motorcyclists have their soft bits on the outside of the metal rather than having them on the inside of the metal like car drivers etc which makes any post-crash injury much more likely.
http://www.helibikes.co.uk
Duncan MacKillop, Stratford on Avon
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I have wanted some enquiry or research of this nature to take place for motorcyclists, to recognise the type and degree and seriousness of injuries suffered and also the most frequent found in accidents involving this group, but no such study has as yet been made or if so no information has been made available. And now we are looking at cyclists as possibly becoming one of the most at risk minority groups.
bob craven Lancs
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