Cycling injuries and alcohol

• Published in: Injury Vol. 49; no. 5; pp. 945 - 952
• Main Authors: Airaksinen, Noora K., Nurmi-Lüthje, Ilona S., Kataja, J. Matti, Kröger, Heikki P.J., Lüthje, Peter M.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2018
• Subjects: Accidents, Traffic - statistics & numerical data; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Alcohol; Alcoholic Intoxication - complications; Alcoholic Intoxication - epidemiology; Bicycling - injuries; Blood Alcohol Content; Cost; Craniocerebral Trauma - epidemiology; Craniocerebral Trauma - etiology; Cycling; Emergency Service, Hospital - statistics & numerical data; Female; Finland - epidemiology; Head Protective Devices - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Injury; Injury severity; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Risk of head injury; Treatment of injury; Utilization Review; Young Adult; Finland; Cycling; Risk of head injury; Injury; Alcohol; Treatment of injury; Cost; Injury severity
• ISSN: 0020-1383; 1879-0267
• DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2018.03.002

Most of the cycling accidents that occur in Finland do not end up in the official traffic accident statistics. Thus, there is minimal information on these accidents and their consequences, particularly in cases in which alcohol was involved. The focus of the present study is on cycling accidents and injuries involving alcohol in particular. Data on patients visiting the emergency department at North Kymi Hospital because of a cycling accident was prospectively collected for two years, from June 1, 2004 to May 31, 2006. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was measured on admission with a breath analyser. The severity of the cycling injuries was classified according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS). A total of 217 cycling accidents occurred. One third of the injured cyclists were involved with alcohol at the time of visiting the hospital. Of these, 85% were males. A blood alcohol concentration of ≥ 1.2 g/L was measured in nearly 90% of all alcohol-related cases. A positive BAC result was more common among males than females (p < 0.001), and head injuries were more common among cyclists where alcohol was involved (AI) (60%) than among sober cyclists (29%) (p < 0.001). Two thirds (64%) of the cyclists with AI were not wearing a bicycle helmet. The figure for serious injuries (MAIS ≥ 3) was similar in both groups. Intoxication with an alcohol level of more than 1.5 g/L and the age of 15 to 24 years were found to be risk factors for head injuries. The mean cost of treatment was higher among sober cyclists than among cyclists with AI (€2143 vs. €1629), whereas in respect of the cost of work absence, the situation was the opposite (€1348 vs. €1770, respectively). Cyclists involved with alcohol were, in most cases, heavily intoxicated and were not wearing a bicycle helmet. Head injuries were more common among these cyclists than among sober cyclists. As cycling continues to increase, it is important to monitor cycling accidents, improve the accident statistics and heighten awareness of the risks of head injuries when cycling under the influence of alcohol.