Whether on rough trails, forest roads or in bike parks: mountain biking is experiencing a real boom. But the number of accidents increases with its popularity – the number of injured mountain bikers has more than doubled since 2015. “According to statistics, around 6,500 people were injured so badly in the previous year that they were treated in hospital – and these are only the incidents that were recorded. The number of unreported cases is far higher,” explained Peter Paal, doctor and President of the Austrian Board of Trustees for Alpine Safety (ÖKAS), at a press conference. A study on mountain biking in Austria, carried out with the Austrian Road Safety Board (KFV), was presented. Among other things, it was shown that sport is still a male domain with a share of 77 percent. “This is also reflected in the number of accidents: 78 percent of those injured are male, and in the case of fatal accidents it is even 98 percent,” explained Johanna Trauner-Karner from the KFV.
Be aware of the dangers!
That is why it is so important to be aware of the dangers and to take safety measures. “These include above all solid tour planning and wearing suitable protective equipment,” says Paal. Especially since e-drives are also booming in mountain biking – and the number of accidents is also increasing massively here. “This is mainly due to the fact that the drivers are usually older and are therefore often in a weaker condition,” says Paal. Strong advice from the experts: improve driving technique. “By taking a course, just like with skiing. There you learn how to brake properly, the right downhill position, safe cornering and controlled jumps.”
Source: Nachrichten
