The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The number of Canadian children between the ages of five and 14 being hospitalized as a result of bicycle injuries has declined by 15% over five years, according to a new report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). Between 1997-1998 and 2001-2002, the rate of hospitalization for this age group declined by 15.9%, from 42.7 to 35.9 per 100,000 population. The lower number of hospitalizations among youth, however, was offset by an increase among those 15 and older. Overall, in 2001-2002, bicycle-related injuries were responsible for the hospitalization of 4,520 Canadians, an average of 12 persons per day. This number has stayed relatively stable in the past five years, fluctuating between 4,511 cases in 1997-1998 to 4,667 cases in 1999-2000 (the highest in five years). One third of all cases were children and youth in the five to 14 age group. While the majority (58%) of injuries sustained among children and youth were of an orthopaedic nature (related to bones), superficial and head injuries each constituted over one-quarter (27%) of cases. In the five-year period between 1997-1998 and 2001-2002, the proportion of both superficial and head injuries resulting in hospitalization for children in this age group each declined 11%. "This report shows that there are many serious cycling injuries every year across Canada. These injuries should not be perceived as accidents that we can do nothing about - safe cycling practices combined with safe cycling environments can go a long way towards reducing these injuries," says Greg Webster, Director, Research and Indicator Development at CIHI. "Injuries continue to be a leading cause of hospitalization across Canada even though most can be prevented by reducing the level risk associated with the activity. Reducing the risks translates into fewer injuries"
