Prevention of road accidents involving non-motorized traffic participants (pedestrians and cyclists) in Germany

• Published in: Der Unfallchirurg 2012-06, Vol.115 (6), p.554
• Main Authors: Zwipp, H, Ernstberger, A, Groschupf, V, Günther, K P, Haase, M, Haasper, C, Hagemeister, C, Hannawald, L, Juhra, C, Leser, H, Lob, G, Maier, R, Seeck, A, Winkler, R, Otte, D
• Format: Article
• Language: ger
• Subjects: Accidents, Traffic - prevention & control; Accidents, Traffic - statistics & numerical data; Adolescent; Adult; Automobile Driving; Bicycling - injuries; Bicycling - statistics & numerical data; Child; Female; Germany - epidemiology; Humans; Male; Motor Vehicles - statistics & numerical data; Patient Education as Topic; Prevalence; Survival Rate; Wounds and Injuries - epidemiology; Wounds and Injuries - prevention & control
• ISSN: 1433-044X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00113-011-2045-3

During a 1-day workshop organized by the German Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (DGOU) 15 German accident researchers used different approaches to improve the effectiveness of accident prevention for pedestrians and bicyclists on German roads. The main results of this analysis show: Fatal injuries of pedestrians have been significantly reduced by 82% between 1970 (n=6.056) and 2007 (n=695). Similarly, fatalities of bicyclists have been reduced during the same time period from 1,835 to 425 which amount to almost 80%. However, the total number of injured cyclists increased almost twice, i.e. from 40,531 (in 1979) to 78,579 (in 2007) a fact that needs to be analyzed in more detail. Although scientifically proven to provide protection against severe head injuries, helmets are worn less frequently by adolescents and women as compared to younger children and men. Fatalities of bicyclists might be reduced by using Dobli mirrors which allow the truck driver to see the bicyclist when turning right. Recently developed sensors are able to detect pedestrians walking closely (