Cycling in the Netherlands is easy and attractive, but in this Dutch city, you’ll want to be more safety-conscious
Research by Independer shows that this Dutch city has about 23.2 cycling accidents per 10,000 inhabitants every year, making it the least safe city in the Netherlands to cycle in.
You’re probably wondering which city, right? The answer is Leiden. Well, that’s something we won’t be celebrating with a biertje. 😬
Bike crash city
Discussing the data of the research with De Telegraaf, Independer insurance expert Menno Dijcks says that the number of cycling accidents in Leiden is “remarkably high”.
“It is almost three times the national average of 8.5 [cycling accidents per 10,000 inhabitants].” Echt niet leuk! 😳
READ MORE | 5 reasons the Dutch cycle without bike helmets
Despite Leiden’s bad score, Chairman Peter Rumler of the Cyclist’s Union Regio Leiden believed that “Leiden is doing reasonably well.” The municipality is currently investing millions into new cycling routes and making the city more car-free. That’s what we like to hear!
How did other provinces score?
It’s not only Leiden that’s in the hot seat for bike safety. In fact, in South Holland, 4,500 bike accidents occur every year, making up 30% of all bike accidents in the Netherlands.
With major cycling cities such as Rotterdam and The Hague, this isn’t too much of a surprise.
@pascalvansteen Everyone knows that a lot of people bike in Amsterdam, but sometimes it even amazes me. #bikes #amsterdam #cycling #commuting ♬ original sound – Pascal van Steen
More heavily populated areas tend to have more bike accidents than rural areas, with most of them happening in the Randstad region.
Wondering how other provinces scored? Here are the top ten provinces that have the most cycling accidents. 👇
| Position | Province | Cycling accidents per 10,000 inhabitants |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Holland | 12.1 |
| 2 | North Holland | 9.9 |
| 3 | Overijssel | 8.8 |
| 4 | Groningen | 8.5 |
| 5 | Gelderland | 7.2 |
| 6 | Noord-Brabant | 7.1 |
| 7 | Utrecht | 6.8 |
| 8 | Limburg | 6.7 |
| 9 | Friesland | 5.5 |
| 10 | Flevoland | 5.4 |
Who is to blame — the cyclists or the city?
Rumler suggests that it could be the behaviour of individual cyclists rather than city infrastructure that causes the high number of cycling accidents. Oepsie!
READ MORE | Dos and don’ts of riding a bicycle in the Netherlands
“It’s a busy student city, and students do not always cycle well,” he tells De Telegraaf with a wink. “It is worth comparing the various student cities.”
So, how do other student cities compare? 👇
| Student city | Cycling accidents per 10,000 inhabitants |
|---|---|
| Groningen | 13.5 |
| Amsterdam | 11.2 |
| Maastricht | 9.4 |
Have you cycled in Leiden? How did it compare to other Dutch cities? Tell us in the comments!