Improving Cycling Safety through City Infrastructure: Recommendations from Canada’s paediatricians

OTTAWA – As an enjoyable form of exercise, cycling has many benefits for children and youth, and creates healthy routines that continue into adulthood and reduce the likelihood of developing chronic health issues later in life. Unfortunately, cycling carries a risk of collision and significant injury, especially when cyclists interact with other vehicles on the road. New guidance from the Canadian Paediatric Society’s (CPS) Injury Prevention Committee aims to improve cycling safety for children and youth.

While injury rates have been trending downwards since the 2000s, “the number of children and youth affected by cycling-related injuries requiring hospitalization and causing chronic health issues is still too high,” says Dr. Daniel Rosenfield, author of the new CPS guidance document and member of the CPS Injury Prevention Committee.

Individual actions, such as helmet use, absolutely can reduce the severity of head injuries, but to widely and effectively reduce serious bicycle-vehicle collisions and resultant injury, city planners and local governments need to create safer communities for cyclists by improving the built environment. 

Speeding can be reduced by speed limits, bumps, and cameras, which then reduce collisions and injury for cyclists. Implementing elevated, protected bike lanes to separate road users has been most effective at protecting cyclists on the road. Bike lanes also increase safety for pedestrians, as one study showed a ‘halo’ effect of significantly reduced risk of collision for cyclists and pedestrians within 500 metres of the bike lane. 

Cycling infrastructure can help make communities safer overall. “Safer cycling infrastructure also helps to safeguard other outdoor activities for children, specifically by making it safer for them to walk within neighbourhoods,” said Dr. Rosenfield.

Investing in cycling infrastructure is also cost-effective from an economic standpoint. In Toronto, businesses experienced an increase in both customers and revenue when cycling tracks were installed on a major artery.

To improve cycling safety, the CPS recommends that governments:

·      Install more protected, elevated bike lanes that physically separate cyclists from motorized traffic

·      Install more speed and red-light cameras in high traffic areas near schools, busy neighbourhoods, and recreation and play spaces

·      Implement traffic calming measures where children and youth live, play, and travel to and from school

·      Adopt ‘Vision Zero’ interventions to increase road safety for all users

·      Target research and advocacy to increase cycling, road safety, and helmet use within Canada, including rural and remote areas 

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About the Canadian Paediatric Society

The Canadian Paediatric Society is a national advocacy association that promotes the health needs of children and youth. Founded in 1922, the CPS represents more than 3,300 paediatricians, paediatric subspecialists and other child health professionals across Canada.