rural areas prone to cycling deaths

Miros: Cyclists should be more visible

KUALA LUMPUR: Cycling in cities may seem dangerous but surprisingly, rural areas and small towns are where most bicycle fatalities occur.

According to statistics compiled by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) between 2009 and 2013, only 3.4% of bicycle deaths occurred in cities, compared to 13% and 29.9% in small towns and rural areas respectively.

Miros senior research officer Khairil Anwar Abu Kassim pointed out that bicycle-related accidents in the countryside happened more often at night.

“I believe that the biggest issue is visibility. When cyclists cannot be seen, that is when they get hit (by other vehicles),” he told

The Star.

Based on the study, there was an average of 176 cycling-related deaths in a year.

Khairil said one-third of the fatalities were single vehicle accidents such as “hitting a tree”.

The study showed that most cyclists involved in road accidents were aged above 60.

Asked about the steps being taken to tackle

the problem, Khairil said the Government was currently more focused on reducing accidents involving motorcycles, passenger cars and pedestrians.

“Bicycles go to No.4 or 5 (in priority),” he admitted.

The Star had reported that motorcycles and passenger cars registered the highest number of road fatalities at 59% and 26% respectively.

Cyclist deaths – at only 3% of total fatalities – were low in comparison.

Khairil said he believed that creating awareness was the way forward in reducing bicycle accidents.

“Cyclists must make themselves visible to other vehicles with the help of blinking lights, reflectors and jackets,” he added.

He also reiterated the importance of safety gear such as helmets.

However, he admitted that the education process would be challenging as “it is not easy to ask someone who goes to the mosque to wear protective gear”.

On how motorists and motorcyclists could help make roads safer for cyclists, Khairil said it was not appropriate to think of bicycles as a hindrance to traffic.

“Every life is equal regardless of which mode of transport we use,” he said.