An electrically power assisted bicycle that is useful for daily shopping and picking up children.

While the number of accidents on bicycles has been halved in the last 10 years, the number of accidents on electrically power assisted bicycles has doubled with the spread.

There is no end to serious accidents such as falls and serious injuries to children.

We asked an expert about measures to prevent falls.

5-year-old daughter has a skull fracture

"I was about to stop at the park on my way home from kindergarten and go home in the evening. I hurriedly put my 5-year-old daughter on the child seat in the back, and when I got out, the handle was taken to the step and I fell down vigorously. A



woman living in Machida, Tokyo, put her daughter in a park that she uses every day and started to ride it.



The girl was wearing a helmet, but when she fell, she hit her forehead against the flowerbed.



(Woman)


"I hurriedly woke up my bicycle, and when I took off my helmet, I was surprised by the bleeding that covered half of my face. I was tired after work that day, so I rushed to ride my bicycle. He was



immediately taken by ambulance and had surgery to sew 5 stitches.



I had a broken skull and then took a break from kindergarten for a month to get medical treatment.



(Woman)


"I'm sorry for my daughter. I thought I wouldn't want to ride my mom's bicycle again and apologized many times," I'm sorry. I'm sorry. "It's not 100% safe to wear a helmet. I really felt that, and I was scared because I couldn't control the speed at the time of starting out. "

Total weight exceeds 100 kg

While the number of accidents on all bicycles has been halved in the last 10 years, the number of accidents on electrically power assisted bicycles has doubled to more than 2,600 last year due to the spread (statistical data from the Traffic Accident Information Analysis Center).



There are many single fall accidents, and once a fall occurs, it can lead to serious accidents.



The main body of a general electric assist is about 30 kg.



With a 10 kg child in the front child seat and a 15 kg child in the rear child seat, the total weight exceeds 100 kg when you ride yourself.



It's difficult to balance, and there is a danger of falling in all situations, such as swaying when starting out, or getting a handle on a step while driving.



How should we be careful in each of the situations of "starting out", "running", and "stopping"?



We asked Associate Professor Toshi Inagaki of Chuo University Research and Development Organization, who specializes in transportation engineering, about the points.

1. Point when starting out: On a flat road, the handle is horizontal

Electric-assisted bicycles are especially easy to accelerate when starting, and they may run faster than expected and may tip over.



There are three points to be aware of.



・ When turning on the power of the bicycle, do not put your foot on the pedal.


Do not

step on when starting.


・ Keep the saddle at a height where the heels of both feet can be attached. It



is necessary

to be

careful about a fall accident on a step.



There is a risk of serious injury for both parents and children.



(Associate Professor Toshishi Inagaki, Chuo University)


"It is important not to enter the step at a shallow angle because the handle is easily taken off and the balance is lost. On the other hand, put the tires at right angles as much as possible, get over from the front, and if you can afford it, push and walk. "

2. Points while driving: When turning, make a big turn

The most common falls while driving are unreasonable left / right turns or U-turns.



(Associate Professor Toshishi Inagaki, Chuo University)


"Electric-assisted bicycles are structurally harder to turn around than ordinary bicycles. Once you lose your balance due to the weight of the bicycle, it is difficult to recover. When you want to turn or U If you want to make a turn, make a big turn on a wide road or turn around and return. ”On



rainy days, visibility will be poor and you will be more likely to slip on manholes, braille blocks, slopes and cobblestones.



You can also prevent falls by avoiding slippery objects such as iron plates and tiles.

3. Points when stopping: Put the child on the "last" and drop it on the "first"

Fall accidents occur not only when driving but also when stopping.



First, keep the saddle a little lower and adjust your feet so that they touch the ground to stabilize the bike itself.



And when you stop at a traffic light, you can always keep your feet firmly on the ground to support your bicycle and prevent you from falling when you stop.



When parking the bicycle, stop it on a flat and safe place, put the child on the bicycle just before the parent gets on the bicycle, and drop it off immediately after the parent gets off the bicycle, so that the time when the child is on the bicycle should be as short as possible.



Especially when you have a lot of luggage for shopping or pick-up from a nursery school, you may want to give priority to your luggage, but be aware that you should first unload your child and then unload your luggage.



Children may want to get on and off by themselves, but adults should always help with getting on and off.



Early braking even when stopped helps prevent falls.



(Associate Professor Toshishi Inagaki, Chuo University)


"The heavier the bicycle, the longer it takes to stop after stepping on the brake, so you can't stop suddenly. It takes time to stop, so be aware of braking earlier than a normal bicycle. "

"Can't you wait 30 seconds?" Ask yourself

I think that many people who ride bicycles with children are in a hurry anyway.



"I have to make it in time for the pick-up time of the nursery school," "Don't miss the train," and "I have to cook dinner early." It meanders like sewing a pedestrian, or a child who rushes and rampages can hurry up and fall on a bicycle.



Knowing each risk is a step toward safe driving.



It's important to imagine that "it's okay if it's just a little" and "because it wasn't dangerous so far" could lead to a big accident, and that not only you but also your child could be involved. ..



In particular, the total weight of the electric assist with children is 100 kg.



Just knowing this and driving made me want to drive carefully.



If you are in a hurry and have an accident, or if you fall and injure your child, all that remains is regret and self-responsibility.



Take a deep breath when you are in a hurry.



I want to ask myself, "Can you really wait another 30 seconds?"



I thought that it might be possible to prevent daily sickness by pushing around depending on the situation, riding a bicycle after the child is in a good mood, or being aware of acting 5 minutes earlier than usual.



Electric-assisted bicycles are difficult to turn around, and the total weight is 100 kg, so even if you fall, it is difficult for you to rebuild by yourself.



I hope that not only the users but also the people around them will know about the electrically power assisted bicycles and if anyone is in trouble, they can reach out.



* NHK solicited ideas for reducing bicycle accidents from viewers and conducted a demonstration experiment this summer with the cooperation of local governments. We will introduce it in the program "1mm Revolution". It will be broadcast on NHK General TV from 7:30 pm on the 23rd.



(1mm Revolution Director Ayumu Okada)