Study on epidemic characteristics and risk factors of road traffic injury on shared bicycles

Objective To explore the epidemic characteristics and risk factors of road traffic injury on shared bicycles (internet rental bicycles) and to provide the data for corresponding injury prevention and control measures. Methods By using web invitation, street interception and primary school selection, 2 883 shared bicycle riders in 10 cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hangzhou were investigated about road traffic injury, riding experience, safety awareness and riding behaviors. Two hundred and five shared bike riders in Hangzhou were selected for velocity measurement and risk assessment. Results During the past year, 202 of all respondents reported their 292 any bike-related road traffic accidents, of which 44 were confirmed as injuries, with the incidence of 1.53% (44/2883). Of 44 injury sites, most were lower limbs (30,68.18%). Certain cycling experience or habits such as times of riding during the last week (OR:1.94, 95% CI:1.38-2.73, P=0.006), nervousness (OR:1.82, 95% CI:1.32-2.52, P=0.004), brake failure (OR:1.96, 95%CI:1.39-2.75, P<0.001) and wheel slips (OR:1.94, 95% CI:1.38-2.73, P<0.001) were associated with higher risk of injury. Among the respondents, 35.10% had uncomfortable riding experience, 15.68% had poor safety awareness and 83.80% had dangerous behaviors. The speed of shared bicycles were 12.2±2.6 km/h, and 34.15% of users (70/205) had dangerous behaviors in the field observation. Conclusion The road traffic injury of shared bikes is a public health issue that should be paid attention to and appropriate technologies such as preventing injury and reducing its severity should be performed in future.