Incidence and characteristics of bicycle injuries by source of information

Data from analysis of bicycle injuries in a defined, semirural Finnish population were compared with the national hospital discharge register and official police statistics and were related to national data on prevalence of bicycling. The results suggested an incidence of 7.3 injured persons/1000 population, which was 20-fold the figure derived from the police statistics. Inclusion of injuries treated at health centres doubled the number requiring medical attention. Bicycle injuries accounted for 52% of all traffic injuries. A motor vehicle was involved in 11% of bicycle injuries. In these accidents 18% of the victims were hospitalized, but only 6% in other bicycle accidents. Police and hospital records overestimated the proportion of motor vehicle crashes, involvement of elderly persons and incidence of head injuries and fractures. Non-motor vehicle bicycle accidents accounted for most of bicycle injuries, for 58% of in-patients and 93% of out-patients. Information from all levels of health care is required for injury control.