Typing and making calls are common causes of accidents while driving. But many cyclists are also distracted in traffic – with a corresponding risk of accidents.
Unterföhring – Distraction in traffic is not only a problem for drivers: According to a survey by Allianz, many cyclists are also inattentive in traffic because they are listening to music, making calls, typing WhatsApp or watching the navigation device instead of the road.
According to this, 27 percent of the 1200 cyclists surveyed admitted that they could listen to music while cycling. In the case of younger people aged 18 to 24, it was almost three quarters (71 percent), as the insurer announced on Monday in Unterföhring near Munich.
According to Allianz 1205, the market research institute Ipsos Nuremberg interviewed selected cyclists by telephone for the survey.
The view on the display is distracting
Navis and electronic speedometers are meanwhile also widespread in bicycle traffic, with a corresponding potential for distraction. More than a quarter (27 percent) of all participants have a display attached to their bike. Among the younger ones between 18 and 24, eleven percent admitted that they used to make frequent calls on the bike, 15 percent are frequent short message writers.
According to Allianz calculations, the use of electronic devices increases the risk of accidents considerably, even in comparatively slow bicycle traffic. Those who wear headphones have an increased risk of accidents by over 50 percent.
The same applies to a glance at the navigation device: “This clearly distracts you from traffic and increases the risk of accidents by almost 40 percent,” said Jochen Haug, board member of Allianz Versicherungs-AG.
Although there is less cycling in winter, cycling accidents are common even in the cold season. According to Allianz, last winter from December 2020 to February 2021 there were 9,334 accidents involving cyclists nationwide. Allianz accident researcher Jörg Kubitzki said that 1,700 people were seriously injured and almost 800 were slightly injured. dpa
