Drink danger to cyclists

Cyclists are even more vulnerable than motorists

Cyclists who drink and pedal are up to 20 times more likely to be killed in a road traffic accident, according to research.

A study in the United States indicates that cyclists with just the British legal limit of alcohol (80mgs) in their blood are putting their lives at serious risk.

The research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), indicated that a third of cyclists killed in accidents had been drinking.

Only five per cent of those who had been drinking also had a helmet.

Many cyclists don't wear helmets

The study by the John Hopkins University in Baltimore was carried out on 124 cyclists in Maryland aged 15 and over who had been fatally or seriously injured in accidents.

Researchers also carried out roadside surveys on passing cyclists who were asked to take blood alcohol breath tests.

By comparing the alcohol readings of both groups, they found that cyclists with up to the legal limit of alcohol in their blood were six to 20 times more likely to have a serious accident.

'No alternative'

The doctor who led the work, Dr Guohua Li, said: "Riding a bike requires a higher level of psychomotor skills and physical co-ordination than driving a car, so alcohol has an even stronger effect on cyclists than drivers."

Kevin Clinton, of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said: "It is vital that cyclists do not drink any alcohol before riding or when they are out and about.

"We hope that motorists do not see using a cycle as an alternative to using the car when they go out for a drink, as they are likely to put not only themselves but other road users in danger."

In 1999, the last year for which figures are available, 172 British cyclists were killed and 3,000 seriously injured.