Factors affecting motorcycle helmet use: Size selection, stability, and position
- Authors: Thai, Kim , McIntosh, Andrew , Pang, Toh Yen
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Traffic Injury Prevention Vol. 16, no. 3 (2015), p. 276-282
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Methods: Observations and measurements of head dimensions, helmet position, adjustment, and stability were made on 216 motorcyclists. Helmet details were recorded. Participants completed a questionnaire on helmet usability and their riding history. Helmet stability was assessed quasistatically. Results: Differences between the dimensions of ISO headforms and equivalent sized motorcyclists’ heads were observed, especially head width. Almost all (94%) of the helmets were labeled to be compliant with AS/NZS 1698 (2006). The majority of riders were satisfied with the comfort, fit, and usability aspects of their helmets. The majority of helmets were deemed to have been worn correctly. Using quasistatic pull tests, it was found that helmet type (open-face or full-face) and the wearing correctness were among factors that affected the loads at which helmets became displaced. The forces required to displace the helmet were low, around 25 N. Conclusions: The size of the in-use motorcycle helmets did not correspond well to the predicted size based on head dimensions, although motorcyclists were generally satisfied with comfort and fit. The in vivo stability tests appear to overpredict that helmets will come off in a crash, based on the measured forces, tangential forces measured in the oblique impact tests, and the actual rate of helmet ejection. Objectives: One of the main requirements of a protective helmet is to provide and maintain appropriate and adequate coverage to the head. A helmet that is poorly fitted or fastened may become displaced during normal use or even ejected during a crash.
Associations between helmet use and brain injuries amongst injured pedal- and motor-cyclists: A case series analysis of trauma centre presentations
- Authors: McIntosh, Andrew , Curtis, Kate , Rankin, Tiffany , Cox, Marie , Pang, Toh Yen , McCrory, Paul , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of the Australasian College of Road Safety Vol. 24, no. 2 (April 2013), p. 11-20
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565900
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- Description: Abstract: A retrospective case-series study of pedal- and motorcyclists presenting to a major metropolitan trauma centre over an 18 month period was undertaken. The injury data were coded according to a number of outcome variables, including intracranial injury of AIS severity >/= 2. Helmet use was coded. After stratification by rider type, data were analysed to examine the relationships between helmet use and injury using logistic regression. A total of 220 injured motorcycle riders and 137 injured pedal cyclists met the study's inclusion criteria, with 195 motorcycle riders and passengers (88.6%) and 87 pedal cyclists (63.5%) wearing helmets. Helmets were associated with a significant reduction (p<0.05) in the likelihood of head and intracranial injury in both rider groups. Associated with helmet use was a reduction in intracranial injury likelihood of 66% for both helmeted motorcycle riders and pedal cyclists. The study is further evidence of the benefits offered by helmets.
Characteristics, cycling patterns, and crash and injury experiences at baseline of a cohort of transport and recreational cyclists in New South Wales, Australia
- Authors: Poulos, Roslyn , Hatfield, Julie , Rissel, Chris , Flack, Lloyd , Murphy, Susanne , Grzebieta, Raphael , McIntosh, Andrew
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Accident Analysis and Prevention Vol. 78, no. (2015), p. 155-164
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- Description: This paper examines self-reported retrospective data for a 12 month period from 2038 adult cyclists from New South Wales (Australia), and compares cyclists according to whether they self-identify as riding mainly for transport or mainly for recreation. Statistically significant differences were found in the demographic characteristics, cycling patterns, and crash experiences between these two groups of cyclists. Transport cyclists tended to be younger, travel more days per week, and within morning and evening peak hours than recreational cyclists; recreational cyclists were more likely to identify fitness as a purpose for cycling. The proportion of cyclists experiencing a crash or crash-related injury in the previous 12 months was similar for transport and recreational cyclists, but there were differences in crash types and location which likely reflect different cycling environments. Heterogeneity within transport and recreational cyclists was also found, based on self-reported riding intensity. An understanding of the different cycling patterns and experiences of various types of cyclists is useful to inform road safety, transport and health promotion policy. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
An exposure based study of crash and injury rates in a cohort of transport and recreational cyclists in New South Wales, Australia
- Authors: Poulos, Roslyn , Hatfield, Julie , Rissel, Chris , Flack, Lloyd , Murphy, Susanne , Grzebieta, Raphael , McIntosh, Andrew
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Accident Analysis and Prevention Vol. 78, no. (2015), p. 29-38
- Full Text: false
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- Description: This paper examines self-reported prospectively collected data from 2038 adult transport and recreational cyclists from New South Wales (Australia) to determine exposure-based incident crash and injury rates. During 25,971 days of cycling, 198 crashes were reported, comprising approximately equal numbers of falls and collisions. The overall crash rate was 0.290 (95% CI, 0.264-0.319) per 1000 km or 6.06 (95% CI, 5.52-6.65) per 1000 h of travel. The rate of crashes causing any injury (self-treated, or medically attended without overnight hospital stay) was 0.148 (95% CI, 0.133-0.164) per 1000 km or 3.09 (95% CI, 2.79-3.43) per 1000 h of travel. The rate of crashes causing a medically attended injury (without overnight hospital stay) was 0.023 (95% CI, 0.020-0.027) per 1000 km or 0.49 (95% CI, 0.43-0.56) per 1000 h of travel. No injuries requiring an overnight stay in hospital were reported on days meeting the inclusion criteria. After adjustment for exposure in hours, or for the risks associated with different infrastructure utilisation, the rates of crashes and medically attended injuries were found to be greater for females than males, less experienced than more experienced cyclists, and for those who rode mainly for transport rather than mainly for recreation. Comparison of estimated crash and injury rates on different infrastructure types were limited by the small number of events, however findings suggest that the separation of cyclists from motorised traffic is by itself not sufficient to ensure safe cycling. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.
Bicycle Helmet Size, Adjustment, and Stability
- Authors: Thai, Kim , McIntosh, Andrew , Pang, Toh Yen
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Traffic Injury Prevention Vol. 16, no. 3 (2015), p. 268-275
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Objectives: One of the main requirements of a protective bicycle helmet is to provide and maintain adequate coverage to the head. A poorly fitting or fastened helmet may be displaced during normal use or even ejected during a crash. The aims of the current study were to identify factors that influence the size of helmet worn, identify factors that influence helmet position and adjustment, and examine the effects of helmet size worn and adjustment on helmet stability. Methods: Recreational and commuter cyclists in Sydney were surveyed to determine how helmet size and/or adjustment affected helmet stability in the real world. Anthropometric characteristics of the head were measured and, to assess helmet stability, a test analogous to the requirements of the Australian bicycle helmet standard was undertaken. Results: Two hundred sixty-seven cyclists were recruited across all age groups and 91% wore an AS/NZS 2063-compliant helmet. The main ethnic group was Europeans (71%) followed by Asians (18%). The circumferences of the cyclists' heads matched well the circumference of the relevant ISO headform for the chosen helmet size, but the head shapes differed with respect to ISO headforms. Age and gender were associated with wearing an incorrectly sized helmet and helmet adjustment. Older males (>55 years) were most likely to wear an incorrectly sized helmet. Adult males in the 35-54 year age group were most likely to wear a correctly adjusted helmet. Using quasistatic helmet stability tests, it was found that the correctness of adjustment, rather than size, head dimensions, or shape, significantly affected helmet stability in all test directions. Conclusions: Bicycle helmets worn by recreational and commuter cyclists are often the wrong size and are often worn and adjusted incorrectly, especially in children and young people. Cyclists need to be encouraged to adjust their helmets correctly. Current headforms used in standards testing may not be representative of cyclists' head shapes. This may create challenges to helmet suppliers if on one hand they optimize the helmet to meet tests on ISO-related headforms while on the other seeking to offer greater range of sizes.
Near miss experiences of transport and recreational cyclists in New South Wales, Australia. Findings from a prospective cohort study
- Authors: Poulos, Roslyn , Hatfield, Julie , Rissel, Chris , Flack, Lloyd , Shaw, Louise , Grzebieta, Raphael , McIntosh, Andrew
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Accident Analysis and Prevention Vol. 101, no. (2017), p. 143-153
- Full Text: false
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- Description: This paper investigates events in which cyclists perceive a cycling crash is narrowly avoided (henceforth, a near miss). A cohort of 2038 adult transport and recreational cyclists from New South Wales (Australia) provided self-reported prospectively collected data from cycling diaries to allow the calculation of an exposure-based rate of near misses and investigation of near miss circumstances. During 25,971 days of cycling, 3437 near misses were reported. For a given time cycling, cyclists who rode mainly for transport (compared with those who rode mainly for recreation), and cyclists with less experience (compared to those with more experience) were more likely to report a near miss; older cyclists (60+ years) were less likely to report a near miss than younger cyclists (25-59 years). Where type of near miss was recorded, 72.0% involved motor vehicles, 10.9% involved pedestrians and 6.9% involved other cyclists. Results indicate some similarities between near misses and crashes reported by this cohort during the same reporting period. A bias toward reporting near misses with motor Vehicles was suggested, which likely reflects cyclists' perceptions that crashes involving motor vehicles are particularly serious, and highlights their impact on perceived safety. Given the relative rarity of crashes, and the limited breadth and depth of administrative data, collection of near miss data may contribute to our understanding of cycling safety by increasing the volume and detail of information available for analysis. Addressing the causes of near misses may offer an opportunity to improve both perceived and actual safety for cyclists. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Factors associated with cyclists' self-reported choice of lane position
- Authors: Hatfield, Julie , Poulos, Roslyn , Rissel, Chris , Flack, Lloyd , Grzebieta, Raphael , McIntosh, Andrew , Murphy, Susanne
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology And Behaviour Vol. 55, no. (2018), p. 403-414
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Riders cycling on roads without bicycle lanes are generally advised to ride in the centre of their lane (primary position), and to move toward the left of the lane (in left-hand traffic; secondary position) only to let faster traffic pass and when it is safe. The present research investigated which situational and personal characteristics were associated with choice of lane position, and whether choice of lane position is associated with on-road crash involvement. A large cohort of bicycle riders from New South Wales Australia reported on their cycling patterns and crashes in 6 reporting weeks over a 1-year period using on-line surveys. During one reporting week 1525 participants identified their preferred choice of lane position in each of 6 visually-depicted scenarios that were designed to investigate the influence of number of lanes (in the cyclists’ direction of travel), parked cars, and bus lanes. A majority of respondents preferred the secondary position in scenarios with a clear kerbside lane. Respondents were significantly more likely to choose the primary position in multiple-lane situations compared to single-lane situations, if there were parked cars in the kerbside lane, and if they were female, younger, experienced riders, transport riders, or high intensity riders. Controlling for personal characteristics, choosing the primary position in a single clear traffic lane scenario was associated with a higher on-road crash rate, while choosing the primary position in a traffic lane with parked cars scenario was associated with a lower on-road crash rate. Results suggested that when riding on-road the bicycle riders in this Australian cohort prefer to keep their distance from motorised traffic, allowing traffic to pass safely when space allows. Nonetheless, results suggested that choice of lane position is highly dependent on the local road and traffic environment. Further research is needed to support advice to cyclists.