Cyclist Injuries from Tram Track Incidents: A Retrospective 10-Year Analysis

Abstract

Trams are widely used for urban public transportation. The aim of this study was to identify the total number of accidents and common injury patterns of tram-system-related cycling injuries. All patients attending the traumatology emergency department of University Hospital of Innsbruck between January 2010 and December 2019 due to tram-track-related bike crashes were identified. Patient demographics; date, time, and mechanism of the accident; type of injury; exact diagnosis and subsequent treatment; as well as direct treatment costs were evaluated and analyzed. A total of 378 patients (56.1% female; mean age: 38.4 years) were identified. Bike tire wedging was the most frequent accident mechanism (95.2%). A total of 108 patients (28.7%) sustained a total number of 135 fractures, predominately of the upper limb. Twenty-six patients (7.0%) required surgical treatment. No patient in this collective died as a result of the injuries sustained in the accident. During the time of this analysis, the city government implemented several measures to increase cyclists’ safety. For the main injury site, a sharp reduction in injuries was observed. Urban tram tracks are a significant risk factor for cycling-related injuries. Injuries might be reduced with the implementation of cyclist-friendly safety measures.