What types of injuries did seriously injured pedestrians and cyclists receive in a Swedish urban region in the time period 2003–2017 when Vision Zero was implemented?

Abstract

ObjectivesThe aim of the study is to examine what types of injuries that seriously injured pedestrians and cyclists received in urban road spaces from 2003 to 2017 in the Swedish region of Västmanland, when the road safety policy Vision Zero was implemented. Study designThis is a cross-sectional data annually collected over a period of fifteen years. MethodsData from health care for 403 seriously injured pedestrians and cyclists were retrieved from the registry STRADA (Swedish Traffic Accident Data Acquisition) and cross-referenced with the National Road Database to see if any Vision Zero measures had previously been implemented at the crash location. The study includes injuries from both single and multiple crashes on roads, pavements, and tracks for walking and cycling (road space). Statistical analysis was performed by descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multiple logistic regression analyses. ResultsPedestrians were seriously injured in lower extremities more than cyclists, whereas more cyclists were seriously injured in the head. During the period, pedestriansꞌ head injuries decreased significantly, but injuries in lower extremities increased significantly. In addition, for cyclists, there was a shift from decreased probability of head injuries to increased probability of injuries in lower extremities related to increased age. For pedestrians, pavements/tracks were associated with a decreased probability of a majority of injury outcomes but for cyclists only for severe injury outcomes. ConclusionsFrom 2003 to 2017, there was a shift among seriously injured pedestrians, with head injuries decreasing and injuries in lower extremities increasing. This shift was probably related to an ageing population in the region, given that increased age among both pedestrians and cyclists was associated with a decreased probability of head injuries but increased probability of injuries in lower extremities. On Vision Zero roads, there was a decreased probability of pedestrians receiving serious injury to more than one bodily region. An increased number of older people combined with policies for more active mobility such as walking and cycling are a challenge for road authorities in urban areas.