Tag Archives: Health&Safety

All health & safety issues, inc. diet & lifestyle; also helmets

Prof. Brian Caulfield of TCD researches cycling issues

Presentation

His latest work with his graduate student researcher, Jack Short, involved analysing two data sets containing information on serious injuries happening to cyclists on both our roads and off-road in driveways, gardens, MTB trails, etc. We know from the international research road safety research literature that police forces don’t necessarily record all cases of serious injury happening to cyclists from impacts with vehicles (these are called RTCs) on public roads so that there is considerable under-reporting of serious injuries. Continue reading Prof. Brian Caulfield of TCD researches cycling issues

European Citizen´s Initiative “30kmh – making streets liveable!”

30 km/h (20 mph) limits are an inexpensive and popular way to improve safety, cut pollution and encourage smarter travel choices. They lead to improved traffic flow and less congestion. People can move without fear. And so we want to achieve these benefits for the whole of the European Union. What is our vision? 30 km/h shall become the standard speed limits for villages, towns and cities with local authorities being able to decide on exemptions. Therefore, we will set the agenda for the European Commission. We want the commission to come up with a proposal to introduce 30 km/h speed limits. Read article / sign petition

Commuting by walking or cycling ‘can boost mental wellbeing’

New research on walking and cycling supports NICE recommendations that active travel can help boost mental wellbeing.

Researchers, publishing in the journal Preventive Medicine, found that people who walked or cycled to work benefitted from improved mental wellbeing in comparison with those who travelled by car.  Read article

From The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides national guidance and advice to improve health and social care.

Message sent to Road Safety Authority

Message sent on Wednesday 6 August to Road Safety Authority by Cyclist.ie – The Irish Cycling Advocacy Network in response to RSA press release issued Friday 1 August regarding rise in vulnerable road user fatalities


Michael Rowland (Director of Research)
Brian Farrell (Director for Communications)

Dear Michael and Brian

As a leader of a group of vulnerable road users, who are at all times in traffic (unlike pedestrians, and who generally choose when, where and how they cross our roads) could I plead with the RSA to alter its ‘blame-the victim’ approach to getting its message across. While I commend you for the generally better content and tone of the latest press release issue last Friday the RSA could do more to place the main responsibility on motorised drivers, particularly those who drive large vehicles – buses, coaches, HGVs, SUVs/4x4s.

Let’s be blunt about the fact: it’s the one tonne plus metal projectile with its driver that is the killer and maimer. We know from the international research literature that in the case of cyclists the majority of RTCs take place at junctions. The causal factor is driver miscalculation/error in approx. 90% of those analysed in Europe. Continue reading Message sent to Road Safety Authority