What actually happens when a cyclist is struck by a car?
A fascinating crash reconstruction study by Raslavičius et al. (2017) examined the biomechanics of car to bicycle crashes and the injuries sustained by cyclists.
The findings reinforce a fundamental Safe System principle: speed matters.
- At 40 km/h, a cyclist without a helmet still has a reasonable chance of survival. By 60 km/h, survival becomes unlikely.
- The vehicle windscreen is a common impact point for the cyclist’s head and torso, often resulting in severe or life threatening injuries.
- Leg injuries are frequently severe, with forces on the tibia often exceeding injury thresholds. Right leg injuries tend to be worse due to the direct impact from the vehicle bumper.
The difference between 40 km/h and 60 km/h may not feel dramatic from behind the wheel.
For a cyclist, it can be the difference between a survivable crash and a fatal one.
This is why Safe System road design focuses so heavily on managing speeds where people and vehicles interact.
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