Summary of findings
Between January 1, 1986, and December 31, 1996,
there were approximately 13,475 collisions recorded between motor vehicles
and cyclists in the former Metropolitan Toronto. Thirty eight of these collisions
resulted in cyclist's fatalities.
Summary chart - cyclist fatalities involving
collisions with motor vehicles
1986-1996
An analysis of the types of vehicles involved in non-fatal collisions
between motor vehicles and cyclists indicated that approximately 92 per cent involved
Class G vehicles, which include cars, small vans, pick-up trucks, etc.
Only eight per cent of non-fatal collisions involved larger vehicles, including open
trucks, public transit (TTC) vehicles, emergency vehicles, and tractor
trailer vehicles.
A different picture emerged when an analysis of vehicle type by licensed
class was applied to the 38 cyclist fatalities. While Class G vehicles
still accounted for the majority of fatal collisions, large vehicles
were involved in 37 per cent of collisions resulting in cyclist fatalities (compared
with only eight per cent of collisions resulting in cyclist injuries). This
difference must be attributed to an increased likelihood of cyclist fatality
in collisions with large vehicles. For example, there was one cyclist fatality
for every 125 non-fatal collisions involving large vehicles (Class A, B,
C, D and M) as opposed to one cyclist fatality for every 488 non-fatal
collisions involving Class G motor vehicles. Thus, it appears that a cyclist's
collision with a large vehicle is approximately four times more likely
to result in cyclist fatality than a cyclist's collision with a Class G
vehicle.
Specifically, 24 fatalities involved Class G vehicles, while 14 fatalities
involved larger vehicles. In this group were eight fatalities involving Class
D motor vehicles (consisting of large trucks, dump trucks, cement mixers,
flat bed trucks and large vans, etc.), three fatalities involving Class A tractor
trailers, two fatalities involving Class C municipal transit and inter-city
buses, and one fatality involving a school bus.
In analyzing the type of injuries resulting in deaths, it was
noted that 21 of the 38 victims (55 per cent) died as a result of head injuries.
Another 14 of the 38 victims died of multiple injuries. Three victims died
of other causes or complications arising from injuries sustained in their
collision.
Noting that helmet use has only become popular within recent years,
three victims were recorded to be wearing helmets, while 35 victims were recorded
to be not wearing helmets. Considering that slightly more than one half
of the fatalities in this review were due to head injuries, it is clear
that helmet usage must be better recorded in future if there is to be a
determination of their effectiveness. It is unclear in these cases whether
helmets might have prevented fatal injuries.
An analysis of the collisions revealed the following impact types:
The small size of the sample does not allow for drawing of firm conclusions
about the relationship between fatal motor vehicle-cyclist collisions and
the number of lanes on a roadway. Twenty-seven fatal collisions occurred on four lane
roadways, six fatal collisions on six lane roadways, four fatal collisions on
two lane roadways, and one fatal collision occurred in a parking lot driveway.
This suggests that arterial roads, with higher traffic volumes and speeds,
may be a factor. Further investigation is needed to correlate the number
of lanes, exposure to high traffic volumes, and speed of travel, to the
risk of cyclist injury and fatality.
In reviewing the age of victims, the majority of fatalities were
over the minimum age where they could obtain a motor vehicle driver permit.
This implies that many would have the potential to have had some experience
of the rules of the road or possibly even some level of formal training
in that regard. Eight cyclists were 15 years of age or less. This may emphasize
that currently available educational materials and efforts may not have
reached sufficient numbers of road users to be effective.
More fatal collisions occurred in the former City of Toronto than in
any of the other cities of Metropolitan Toronto prior to amalgamation.
A breakdown included 14 fatalities in the City of Toronto, 10 fatalities
in the City of Scarborough, seven fatalities in the City of North York, six fatalities
in the City of Etobicoke, and one fatality in the City of York.
Fatal collisions were distributed fairly evenly on a weekday basis,
but fewer fatal collisions occurred on Sundays. Peak frequencies of fatal
collisions occurred in mid-day and afternoon rush hour times. The majority
of collisions, 30 in total, occurred during daylight conditions with eight
collisions occurring during dark conditions.
About eight per cent of collisions resulting in personal injury in Toronto involve
cyclist injuries. In the former City of Toronto, this figure is nearly
14 per cent. Much less than 14 per cent of all travel in the former City is by bicycle,
and less than eight per cent of all travel is by bicycle in the new Toronto. This data
therefore suggests that there is a disproportionate representation of bicycles
in traffic collisions relative to their numbers on the road, highlighting
the need for appropriate programs designed to reduce cycling-related injuries.
While the small number of cases studied in this report make conclusions
hard to determine, they did allow the review committee to make strong inferences,
based on their experience and expertise, about the kinds of remedies that
would be effective in reducing cycling fatalities. The analysis of the
injury data available further supported these inferences. The findings
in this study do appear to be consistent with those of studies in other
jurisdictions.
Discussion
In 1975, Toronto City Council adopted the following policy statement:
"Council recognizes that the bicycle, as an integral and efficient
form of transportation and as a means of recreation, can make a significant
contribution to the quality of city life; therefore, it is the policy of
council to implement programs that will promote and facilitate greater
and safer use of the bicycle."
As a result of an integrated effort on the part of the City of Toronto,
The Toronto City Cycling Committee, and in conjunction with a variety of
cycling organizations, an impressive blend of programs, ridership and natural
amenities came together to enable Toronto to receive the 1995 Bicycling
Magazine Award, "Best City for Cycling in North America".
In response to the two cycling related fatalities in July 1996, the
City of Toronto Council increased funding within its 1997 budget to accelerate
the development of both on-street and off-street bicycle routes and to
expand its bicycle safety program.
This report makes recommendations to continue to move forward and to
enhance safe bicycle usage in the future. A multi-faceted approach is imperative
to enhancing bicycle safety in Toronto, including:
- Better bicycle collision data collection and analysis;
- Education programs and enforcement for both motorists and cyclists;
- A review of the Highway Traffic Act sections affecting bicycles;
- Roadway engineering design improvements for bicycles; and
- Investigation of design modifications for large vehicles to reduce injury severity.
Bicycle collision reporting and the development of an adequate database
for intelligent analysis must be recognized as important foundations. The
expertise exists at various levels of government and within the community
to analyze appropriate data, but unfortunately the mechanisms to obtain
this information do not yet appear to be in place.
For cyclists, education courses focusing on skill development and road
regulations must be made widely accessible both in the community and in
schools. Motor vehicle driver education courses on the other hand, including
those for operators of large vehicles and fleets, must include more information
and education on the issue of sharing the road with cyclists and on respecting
the rights of the cyclists on the roadway. Policing agencies should use
education and enforcement to encourage all cyclists and motor vehicle drivers
to better understand and follow the regulations of the Highway Traffic
Act.
For cycling education programs to be more effective, the rules of the
road, as specified in the Highway Traffic Act must be clarified to make them more consistent with educational and enforcement priorities aimed at collision reduction.
Many articles have been published expounding the virtues of bicycle
safety helmets in prevention of both significant head injuries and death.
Several reports refute these claims and suggest that in jurisdictions where
cycling helmet use has been legislated, there has not been a significant
reduction in either injury or fatalities, and that bicycle use has declined
because of the requirement to wear a helmet. Both sides would agree that
helmets are an asset, but not a panacea. The helmet does nothing to prevent
a collision.
Expanding the existing network of on-street bicycle routes and off-street
trails is widely recognized as an important measure to enhance safety for
cyclists. The on-street component of this network includes a range of design
options which respond to the wide range of needs and abilities of cyclists
and the different types of roadways. These design options include: bicycle
lanes which clearly define a separate space for cyclists, signed bicycle
routes which identify alternative routes for cyclists typically on lightly
traveled local streets, and wide curb lanes on arterial roads which make
it possible for cyclists and motorists to share the lane.
In addition to enhancing bicycle safety on designated routes, engineering
design improvements need to be considered on all roads used by cyclists.
Site specific improvements in road design in particularly hazardous locations,
for example, could reduce the frequency of motor vehicle/cycle collisions,
with resultant decreases in injury and potential fatalities.
Finally, design modifications to large trucks, similar to those required
in Europe, which improve visibility and deflect cyclists and pedestrians
away from rear wheels, may have the potential to substantially reduce injury
and death. Studies to date are inconclusive, but further investigation
by appropriate agencies is warranted.
Prepared by: