The Aetiology and Long-Term Effects of Injuries Due to Bicycle Accidents in Persons Aged Fifty Years and Older

This retrospective study concerns the aetiology and psychological long-term effects of injuries due to bicycle accidents in 329 patients 50 years and older who attended the Emergency Unit of the University Hospital at Groningen during the period 1990 through 1992. Long-term effects were assessed three years after hospital discharge. The one-sided bicycle accident (with no other traffic involved) was the major (63.2%) cause, mostly due to loss of balance or to a foot slipping from the pedal. The main category of the second major cause was collision with other traffic. Of the bicycle accidents 66% occurred within 15 minutes after departure; 80% of the accidents happened in good weather conditions and daylight, and 7.6% of the patients had taken tranquilizers before biking. The majority of the injuries were observed at the upper extremities (28.8%) and head or face (25.8%). The percentage of clinically treated patients increased across ages from 25% in the 50- to 54-yr.-old category to 45% in the category 75-yr. and older. Three years after the incident, long-term psychological effects were still observed in 29% of the patients.