Are kiddies' trailers lethal?

[Michael R]

Here is a family dispute!!!!

My daughter reckons trailers are far too dangerous for here children (and probably feels I was reckless taking her on a cross-bar seat)

Are there any statistics on child deaths in trailers?

I have never heard of one.

[robs]

A friend of mine had a child trailer, when his daughter was old enough she rode tandem with him, then they used the trailer to carry camping gear. On returning from France to Portsmouth dock, crossing a Zebra Crossing, (part of the cycle route) a car hit the trailer, the impact spilt them on to the ground, the aluminium frame which ran around the outside of the tailer had a good sized dent in it, but he was convinced any child in it would have been ok. The importer took the trailer back to show prospective buyers how safe it was, and gave my friend a new trailer. I think it was a Burley but I'm not certain.
Cheers, Rob.

[[XAP]Bob]

There is a German study which showed that trailers were safer than seats...

[fatboy]

Not lethal IMHO. Very visible and drivers give you a very wide berth; drivers are fine killing adults........but children they care more about. The worst aspect about the trailer that I got was that it was very heavy and hard work up hills. Also the hitch was suspect. There are better trailers than the Avenir one that I got but it was a great thing to have and I never felt unsafe with it.

[Ayesha]

Settle the dispute quite quickly.

Say "Its up to you dear", and don't mention it again.

[AllanJ]

In common with other cycling safety issues the trailer are very safe, as a top-tube seats; the problem is motor traffic..

[[XAP]Bob]

A quick google turned up a translation of the report summary:

Here's a translation of a child trailer safety review done in Germany, courtesy of Steph Peters from uk.rec.cycling, with permission:

Children in trailers are particularly safe
Institutions close to the car industry fulminate against bike trailers for transport of people, since the bright light sedans are becoming ever more loved and replacing some second if not first cars. Hard projectiles must occasionally take the blame for bringing the environmentally friendly variant of child transportation into disrepute. Dekra* and Bruderhilfe let it be reported that a car speeding into a trailer can be deadly. That cars are particularly dangerous for everyone without a crumple zone, is also sufficiently well known to the car lobby without such self publicity.

There are underwriters who make objective assessments of risk. Last year for the first time the AZT (technical alliance centre) took the trouble to compare the danger potential of trailers and traditional child seats for their little passengers. 27 crash tests give a clear message: children sit more safely in trailers than on the bike. When AZT chief Dr. Dieter Anselm gave the results on 21 March 1996 in Munich, he described them as "surprisingly positive" - the AZT had approached the set of tests with a certain amount of reservation.

Subjectively children in a trailer look especially vulnerable, situated at the height of cars' bumpers. But precisely this can save life in the event of a collision: a car shoves the trailer wholly in front of it, while the cyclist "high on a horse" is catapulted first onto the car and then onto the road. The transport of children in the area of the handlebars is particularly dangerous; above all when they are behind the saddle they come off lightly in head on collisions.

The trailer does not fall over as easily as a bike - and when it does, then the height of the fall and the potential for injury are clearly lower. With child seats bad accidents can take place when the bike is being loaded - a trailer with a coupling at axle height remains untouched, when the towing bike falls over.

The AZT stresses the importance of a stable trailer construction with full belt harness and the use of helmets, so that the children do not come into contact with the bumper bar. Unfortunately the correct line for coupling is missing; the models tested could all have been improved. The sellers and providers of trailers here are moving into uncharted territory: paragraph 21of the StVO* forbids carrying people on the "goods area" of a trailer. This regulation does not directly apply to bike or special child trailers, but there is room for doubt. In the view of the AZT this is a pity: "The manufacturers of bike trailers must be given a clearer legislative framework, so that they can further develop this - so far as we can determine - currently safest transport mode for children and thereby can contribute to better protection for children in traffic".



*Translator's notes:
Dekra is a German organisation that tests cars for safety, promoting themselves as consumer champions, I think funded by the car industry. Bruderhilfe is an insurer with church connections. StVO is a German law or regulation

[[XAP]Bob]

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/trail ... oad-safety

OK - it's not actually about trailers, but still...

[meic]

I suppose I could die of a heart attack from trying to tow the thing around these Welsh hills.

[[XAP]Bob]

I suppose I could die of a heart attack from trying to tow the thing around these Welsh hills.

Just get lower gears, and enough wheels...

[meic]

Then I would die of boredom instead, I already achieve stunningly low average speeds.

[Michael R]

Thanks to all

I will pass all this on.........

[[XAP]Bob]

Oh, and anecdotally...

I tow both kids home (5 miles through rush hour traffic) every Monday. No problems at all when towing.

[thirdcrank]

...My daughter reckons trailers are far too dangerous for her children (and probably feels I was reckless taking her on a cross-bar seat)....

I suspect from what you say that she thinks cycling is dangerous, endov.

[Grandad]

At the time this was probably the Rolls Royce of trailers with a ball and socket coupling level with the bike hub and automatic overrun brakes. When we stopped it stayed upright when the bike was laid on its side.
Paid £10 for it second hand in 1960.