Cycling experiences and knowledge of the road code of nine-year-olds

doi:10.1016/0001-4575(87)90033-9

Accident Analysis & Prevention

Volume 19, Issue 2, April 1987, Pages 141-145

https://doi.org/10.1016/0001-4575(87)90033-9 Get rights and content

Abstract

Sex differences in cycling experience and knowledge of the road code were examined in a sample of eight-hundred and fifteen nine-year-old children. The results showed that there were not significant sex differences for those who had ridden on the road or ridden to school in the week preceding the interview. However, males were more likely to have ridden at night. There were no significant sex differences in self reported unsafe acts or in knowledge of various dimensions of the road code. The results show a relatively high level of ignorance of the give-way rules for uncontrolled intersections and a disturbing number of children who reported they had ridden at night without tail or headlights.

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Cited by (8)

Understanding the development of bicycling skills in children: A systematic review
2020, Safety Science
Citation Excerpt :
It was reported that younger children (9–11 years and 12–15 years) performed worse for knowledge regarding the priority rules compared to adolescents (p < 0.001) (Maring and van Schagen, 1990). This ignorance of the give-way rules at intersections was also reported by Langley et al. (1987), who examined whether there was a gender difference for knowledge in nine-year-old children. There was no difference between boys and girls for the questions about turning manoeuvres, hand signals or sign questions (p > 0.05).
Learning to ride a bicycle can be considered a keystone in a child’s life, however, bicycle injuries in young bicyclists remain a significant problem. The current systematic review evaluated cross-sectional and intervention studies regarding the development of the intrinsic factors (motor skills, perceptual-motor skills, attitudes and knowledge) in young bicyclists of five to 18 years old. A systematic search of the literature resulted in 3426 abstracts, published before October 1, 2017, of which 63 full-texts were retrieved. A total of 46 qualitative articles were included for review, consisting of 23 cross-sectional studies and 23 intervention studies. A meta-analysis was performed for each intrinsic factor. It was found that bicycling skills develop with both age and experience. Even until the age of twelve, children have not yet automated their bicycling skills and experience difficulties with coordinating more complex motor and perceptual-motor skills such as estimating and anticipating dangerous situations. Given that attitudes such as rule compliance are affected by hormonally induced changes during puberty, more research is needed regarding the development of safe attitudes. Most training programs were effective to improve knowledge, motor skills and perceptual-motor skills in young bicyclists, especially those including an on-road component.
Unenlightened: An unsuccessful attempt to promote the use of cycle lights at night
1991, Accident Analysis and Prevention
The risks of bicycle riding are greatly increased at night, especially if the cyclist does not have lights. Over 13 winter weeks a community behavioural intervention promoting cycle light use was implemented in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, at two tertiary educational institutions. A third location served as a control. Baseline data from inspection of parked cycles and street observation of cycle riders showed that about 60% of cycles were not fitted with lights and between 40% and 60% of cyclists rode without legal lights, with the percentages varying as functions of sunset time, weather, and time of night. At neither experimental location did prompting, an incentive competition, nor performance feedback increase the number of parked cycles with lights or increase the number of cyclists observed riding with lights.
Age dependence of attitudes and knowledge in cyclists
1990, Accident Analysis and Prevention
A number of factors related to bicycle accidents were studied, namely, knowledge of priority rules, attitude and self-reported behavior regarding traffic rules, and general opinions about the safety of the traffic behavior of cyclists and drivers. In order to get an indication of the influence of these factors at different stages of the life span, subjects ranging from 9 to 83 years of age were represented in the study. The relationship between age and the various measures was found to be U-shaped in most cases. The older cyclists and the 9 to 11 year olds, the two groups that are most at risk, were deficient regarding knowledge while showing the most positive attitudes. Implications with respect to possible counter measures are discussed.
Driver road rule knowledge and attitudes towards cyclists
2002, Australian Journal of Primary Health
Evaluation of a bicycle skills training program for young children: A randomized controlled trial
1998, Injury Prevention
Predicting and understanding safety helmet use among schoolboy cyclists: A comparison of the theory of planned behaviour and the health belief model
1998, Psychology and Health

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Accident Analysis & Prevention

Abstract

References (12)

Collisions between cyclists and motorists in New Zealand

Accid. Anal. & Prev.

Hospital and Selected Morbidity Data, 1981

Mortality and Demographic Data, 1981

A thousand New Zealand children: Their health and development from birth to seven

Motor Accidents in New Zealand

Cycling in the dark: An analysis of fatal bicycle accidents in the Netherlands

J. Safety Research

Cited by (8)

Understanding the development of bicycling skills in children: A systematic review

Unenlightened: An unsuccessful attempt to promote the use of cycle lights at night

Age dependence of attitudes and knowledge in cyclists

Driver road rule knowledge and attitudes towards cyclists

Evaluation of a bicycle skills training program for young children: A randomized controlled trial

Predicting and understanding safety helmet use among schoolboy cyclists: A comparison of the theory of planned behaviour and the health belief model