As expected, the greatest risk of a self-inflicted road traffic accident is posed by riders who frequently use an e-bike. Particularly at risk are those who also use the e-bike in winter, men and people who use the e-bike to get to work or school. Age does not play a major role here; all age groups are equally affected.
Slipping as the most frequent cause of accidents
The bfu survey shows that slipping is the most common cause of self-inflicted accidents, for example on icy or wet ground, accounting for one third of all cases. The e-bike is rarely considered to be a (contributing) cause of the accident. More than 80 % of the respondents are of the opinion that the accident would also have happened with a normal bicycle.
Three quarters of the self-inflicted accidents ended smoothly and resulted in no or only minor injuries. However, 18 % of the respondents sustained moderately severe injuries and had to be treated in a doctor's office. 7 % injured themselves to such an extent that inpatient treatment in hospital was necessary.
Possible prevention measures
According to their own information, e-bike riders feel relatively safe on Swiss roads. Nevertheless, in the view of the respondents and the bfu, the road safety of e-bikes can be improved with various measures - for example, by checking and improving the bicycle infrastructure, through regular road maintenance, and with awareness campaigns for e-bike and car riders. Advances in e-bike technology can also further improve safety.
