Map of cycling accidents and crashes in Victoria

Cycling is a fun, environmentally friendly and generally safe way to travel. Yet, like users of all road vehicles, bicycle riders can be involved in accidents.

There are some common elements when it comes to bike accidents:

• The majority of crashes occur when the weather is fine (81.4%) and on a flat road (70.7%)
• Bicycle crashes most commonly occur at intersections (42.8%)
• Around 85% of cyclist casualty crashes involve another vehicle
• Statistically men are approximately 4 times more likely to be hospitalised following a cycling crash

The map below shows the distribution of accidents involving bikes resulting in injuries or fatalities in Victoria between 2015 and 2018.

Data from Data.Vic.gov.au under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International.

Bicycle users are encouraged to take the following precautions to stay safe on the roads:

• Always wear a helmet – note: it is a legal requirement to do so in Victoria;
• Scan behind you and signal your intentions before turning or changing lanes;
• Look out for motorists getting in and out of parked cars; and
• Don’t ride on the inside of large vehicles like buses or trucks.

Cycling is becoming increasingly popular throughout the country and is a common pastime in Melbourne. The city has over 135 km of both on-road and off-road routes and is committed to being a “cycling city”. The safety of cyclists is of course vitally important.

Click here to view a map of all motor vehicle and road traffic accidents in Victoria.