Following a bicycle accident in the southern suburbs, a gentleman was admitted to the CBMH Trauma & Emergency Centre. The man reports having been involved in an accident with a motor vehicle in which he was thrust through both the rear windshield and the front windshield of the vehicle. Fortunately, a doctor witnessed the accident and provided immediate assistance to the patient whilst waiting for the paramedics to arrive. Paramedics provided scene stabilization, fully immobilizing the patient as a precaution, and provided rapid transportation to the ER. On arrival at the ER, the patient was found to present with the following injuries: multiple facial lacerations (left), two broken fingers on the left hand, and other minor soft tissue injuries. The patient was admitted to ICU for observations, attended to by a plastic surgeon who sutured the facial and hand wounds, is now rapidly recovering in the general ward. We wish our cyclist a speedy recover, and many more happy hours on his bicycle, which seems to have sustained less damage than him! |
Cycling Safety Tips:
• Wear a standards approved and properly fitted bicycle helmet. • Obey the road rules. • Wear highly visible light coloured or reflective clothing. • Fit bicycle lights/reflectors for early morning, evening and night riding. • Ensure the bicycle is correctly sized for the rider (the rider should be able to place their feet flat on the ground when sitting on the bike seat). For children particularly, a bicycle is not something to “grow into”. An incorrectly sized bicycle will be difficult to handle and places the rider at increased risk of injury. • Children under the age of 10 years have limited peripheral vision and are poor judges of the speed of approaching vehicles. Children under this age need adult supervision to negotiate roads safely.8 • Where possible, select travel routes where cyclists are separated from other road users (eg. bicycle paths). Do not assume however that riding on a bike path/footpath is without risk. Constant vigilance remains essential to give way to pedestrians and avoid surface hazards. • Allow plenty of space for pedestrian and vehicular traffic and adequate time for crossings. • Dismount and cross at controlled intersection points. • Do not assume other road users have seen you just because you can see them. Try to establish eye contact with the driver before crossing. |
- Obey the rules of the road and know what each traffic sign means - Ride with the flow of traffic, not against it.
- Allow ample time to inform vehicles behind of your intention to turn either left or right with hand signals.
The National Road Traffic Act has specific regulations pertaining to cycling safety. Be alert to these regulations:
Regulation 311 - Riding on pedal cycles
Reg 311. (1) No person shall ride a pedal cycle on a public road unless he or she is seated astride on the saddle of such pedal cycle.
(2) Persons riding pedal cycles on a public road shall ride in single file except in the course of overtaking another pedal cycle, and two or more persons riding pedal cycles shall not overtake another vehicle at the same time.
(3) No person riding or seated on a pedal cycle on a public road shall take hold of any other vehicle in motion.
(4) No person riding a pedal cycle on a public road shall deliberately cause such pedal cycle to swerve from side to side.
(5) No person riding a pedal cycle on a public road shall carry thereon any person, animal or object which obstructs his or her view or which prevents him or her from exercising complete control over the movements of such pedal cycle.
(6) A person riding a pedal cycle on a public road shall do so with at least one hand on the handle bars of such pedal cycle.
(7) Whenever a portion of a public road has been set aside for use by persons riding pedal cycles, no person shall ride a pedal cycle on any other portion of such road.
(8) A person riding a pedal cycle on a public road or a portion of a public road set aside for use by persons riding pedal cycles, shall do so in such manner that all the wheels of such pedal cycle are in contact with the surface of the road at all times.