behind many of our European counterparts in introducing dedicated cycle tracks. We need separate infrastructure for vehicles and bicycles that remove danger points from our roads and reduce conflict between road users. The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) earlier this month called on EU member states to prioritise the provision of separate cycling infrastructure to protect cyclists.”

“The same ETSC report also highlights that speed is another critical factor for reducing collisions with cyclists and calls for the greater roll out of 30km/h speed limits in towns and cities. The clear message is motorists need to slow down, particularly in urban areas and during peak travel times. Not only will cyclists, and other vulnerable road users, have greater chances of survival if involved in a collision, slowing down will give drivers time and space to react, especially if they are distracted, and avoid a collision in the first place.”

For further information, please contact:

RSA Communications Office on 096-25008 Or

Brian Farrell, Communications Manager, 086-3881009 Or

Grace Cooney, Drury Porter Novelli: 086 153 6886 / grace.cooney@drurypn.ie Cian Doherty, Drury Porter Novelli: 087 772 6678 / cian.doherty@drurypn.ie

Key Findings

Characteristics of injured cyclists and times of occurrence

• Just over 7 in 10 cyclists (73.7%) injured in 2016 were male, while almost 6 in 10 (57.1%) were between the ages of 25-49.
• The primary periods of the day in which cyclist injuries occurred were during the morning and evening commuting periods (8:00-8:59 and 17:00-18:59).
• There was an increase in the incidence of cyclist injuries from the months of May through to September (48% of injuries occurred in this 5-month period).

Road characteristics and collision circumstances

· More than 8 in 10 cyclist injuries (85.4%) took place on two-way single carriageways and more than 8 in 10 (86.7%) were on urban roads.

· Over half of cyclist injuries (51.1%) in 2016 occurred at junctions. Almost 1 in 4 of all cyclists injured in 2016 (24.7%) were injured in collisions that took place at a T- junction.

• Almost half of cyclists injured (47%) were wearing a helmet at the time of the collision, while just over 4 in 10 (41%) were not. In just over 1 in 10 cases (12%), it was not known whether the injured cyclist was wearing a helmet.

Multi vehicle collisions

• Just over 9 in 10 cyclists (91.3%) were injured in a multivehicle collision in which at least one other vehicle was involved.
• Less than 1 in 10 cyclists injured in 2016 (7.9%) were injured in a single vehicle collision in which no other person or vehicle was involved.
• Of the cyclists injured in multivehicle collisions, over 8 in 10 (84%) were injured in a collision with a car.

· Of the cyclists injured in multivehicle collisions, over 1 in 10 (11%) were injured in a collision with a goods vehicle (both light and heavy goods vehicles).

Vehicle manoeuvres and driver actions

• The manoeuvre of cars and goods vehicles most associated with cyclist injuries in 2016 was driving forward; approximately 2 in 5 in each case (40.3% and 38.8% respectively).

· For cars, the second manoeuvre most associated with cyclist injuries in multivehicle collisions was turning right (just over 1 in 5 injuries - 20.5%). For goods vehicles, the opposite was true, and left turns were more associated with cyclist injuries (1 in 5 injuries - 20%).

• In over 2 out of 5 cyclist injuries (41.4%) in collisions with cars, it was reported that the car driver failed to observe prior to the collision.
• In 2 out of 5 cyclist injuries (40%) in collisions with goods vehicles, it was reported that the goods vehicle driver failed to observe prior to the collision.

· In just under 1 in 5 cyclist injuries (19.8%) in a collision with a car, it was reported that the cyclist failed to observe.

· In just over 1 in 5 cyclist injuries (22.4%) in a collision with a goods vehicle, it was reported that the cyclist failed to observe.

About the research:

This report provides an overview of trends in cyclist injuries that occurred in road traffic collisions on Irish public roads from 2006-2018 and an in-depth review of cyclist injuries in 2016. Throughout this report, where reference is made to “cyclist injuries”, this refers to all injuries, both serious and minor combined.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has a statutory remit to report on all fatal, serious and minor injury collisions on public roads that were reported to An Garda Síochána and where records were subsequently transferred to the RSA. As part of this work, the Road Traffic Collision Database is maintained by the RSA, in collaboration with An Garda Síochána. Prior to 2014, the RSA populated this database with collision data received from An Garda Síochána via a paper form detailing the collision circumstances. The RSA now receives an electronic copy of road traffic collision (RTC) data on a daily basis from An Garda Síochána, which are primarily based on information collected at the scene of the collision. As part of the RSA quality control procedures, this data undergoes a validation procedure designed to ensure the quality and accuracy of the final dataset. The validation procedure introduces a time lag to the date at which the RSA can publish analyses based on the RTC dataset. As a result, data from the Road Traffic Collision Database are used in the current report to provide an overview of the 971 cyclist injuries that occurred in 2016.

Data from the Road Traffic Collision Database is used to summarise individual and location specific characteristics such as the age and gender of injured cyclists, road and junction type, as well as light conditions and road character. The times in which cyclist injuries