Rising trend
More and more drug and alcohol bikers
A cyclist dies every ninth day in Austria. The general trend towards addictive substances on the saddle is alarming.
Last year, 41 cyclists were killed, 17 of whom were riding an e-bike. A third of these cyclists died without third party involvement. These figures cannot be explained by the rapidly increasing sales figures and the associated higher number of cyclists alone.
Increase in single-vehicle accidents
According to an analysis by ÖAMTC accident research, the 149 percent increase in single-vehicle accidents is striking, while the number of collision accidents rose by 34 percent in the same period and the number of intersection accidents by "only" 25 percent.
Alarmingly, the number of bicycle accidents resulting in personal injury rose by 69 percent between 2013 and 2022. While there were 6375 accidents involving a bike in 2013, the statistics for 2022 already showed 10,745 falls involving pedal cyclists. The accident figures mark the negative peak of a long-term trend. Experts are working on the cause.
Symptom treatments such as blanket speed reductions are not very effective in increasing cycling safety.
David Nosé, ÖAMTC Verkehrstechniker
Disregard for traffic rules and addictive substances often the cause
The interesting thing about the analysis is that the cause of a fall is not necessarily linked to increased speed. This is because the development of the causes of accidents over the past ten years shows other problem areas: The cause of accidents "alcohol, drugs or medication", for example, has increased by an above-average 255 percent, while "disregarding commands and prohibitions" (keyword red traffic lights) has also risen by 197 percent.
No trivial offense
Many people are completely unaware that these addictive substances are not a trivial offense in the saddle. If you are caught by the police, you could even have your car driving license revoked.
More measures called for
The ÖAMTC is calling for more measures to improve driving skills as well as increased checks by the police on alcohol and drugs and compliance with road traffic regulations. Technical equipment and distraction also play a role in accidents. Often there is also a lack of driving experience. The ÖAMTC, for example, offers courses for e-bikers in particular.
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