Bicycle Injuries on the Rise, According to
New Study

October 2009

A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado suggests that bicyclists are experiencing higher injury rates and longer hospital stays than ever before. According to observations over the past 11 years at a Denver Trauma Center, bicyclists are suffering from head injuries, chest and abdominal injuries, damage to spleens and livers, internal bleeding, rib fractures, and hemothorax.

Denver is a large bicycle community comprised of well-developed bike pathways. Researchers say that if this metropolitan area is facing higher bicycle injury rates, there is cause for concern about the rest of the nation where under-developed pathways may exist. Furthermore, they say that the use of bicycles is increasing nationally, so more problems could be looming in the future.

Researchers found bicyclists to be a part of the problem. Helmet use did not increase over the study period, and more than one-third of injured cyclists suffered from a significant head injury.