Tasmanian Cycling Habits Accident Risk and Costs
The real risk of major accidents whilst bike riding and their associated costs in Tasmania are unknown. This project will be the first in Australia to accurately quantify the risk of having a bicycle accident, and to assess the costs of these accidents to our society.
An accurate assessment of accident rates and their associated costs is critical to providing representative data for positive and constructive discussions with local and state government to improve the current abysmal cycling infrastructure that exists in the state. Furthermore, discussions with Tasmanian cycling lobby groups, cyclists and bicycle shop owners have indicated massive grassroots support for this study, in the hope that it will quantify for the first time some of the major issues confronted on a daily basis by regular cyclists.
In addition to an accurate assessment of the risk of cycling accidents, this study will identify previously unrecognized bicycle accident 'black spots' by direct questioning of regular cyclists. This will overcome the significant issue of under-reporting of serious accidents in police statistics and lead to targeted safety improvements. Moreover, an understanding of the scope of the healthcare burden to Tasmania, represented by cycling accidents, is vital in order to identify potential cost-offsets that may occur through reduced costs of cycling accident injuries from improvement in safety measures and infrastructure.
We are currently performing a study to quantify the cycling habits, risks and costs of accidents in Tasmania. In the first month of recruitment, over 100 people have signed up to participate in the study.
Research Groups
Staff
Senior Members
- Professor Andrew Palmer (New Star Professor)