Trail bike crashes are a less visible but significant contributor to road trauma. Often classified as off-road incidents or reported on-road for insurance purposes, they fly under the radar of traditional road safety statistics.
In Victoria, around 700 crashes involving trail bike riders in forest, park, or bush settings are reported every year. Of these, approximately 350 result in serious injuries, and 5 are fatal.
Why trail bike riders are a unique road safety opportunity:
Trail bike riders are a promising group for road safety interventions. Why?
✔️ They’re obsessed with safety gear, investing in and wearing the best protection available.
✔️ They ride for the challenge of the terrain, not necessarily the thrill of speed.
This mindset presents an opportunity to design technically challenging trails that encourage skilful riding while naturally keeping speeds at levels that reduce the likelihood of death or serious injury during a crash.
Safe System Solutions has been heavily involved in trail bike safety since 2013, including groundbreaking planning and design work for the world-first trail bike safety project at Neerim East. This project is setting new benchmarks for integrating safety into recreational trail design.
Trail bike safety is an important and evolving area where thoughtful design can make a real difference.
More info on the trail bike safety project: https://safesystemsolutions.com.au/safe-system-snippet-238-trail-bike-safety-project/
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