§ Mr. Priorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of motor cycle accidents in each of the last three years which have resulted in fractures of legs; what was the estimated cost of treatment; and what research is being undertaken into additional safety 279W provisions which could be incorporated in motor cycles to protect legs.
§ Mr. MoyleThe number of leg injuries resulting from motor cycle accidents is not recorded but a survey carried out by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory in 1974 showed that legs are by far the most common site of injury among motor cyclists involved in road accidents.
The numbers of seriously injured users of two-wheeled vehicles who needed hospital in-patient treatment in each of the last three years with an estimate of the cost to the NHS of their treatment is as follows:
Year Number of serious injuries to users of two-wheeled vehicles Estimated cost of treatment at 1975–76 prices* 1974 … 13,905 6.7 1975 … 15,775 7.6 1976 … 18,861 9.0 * As it is not possible to isolate the cost of treating seriously injured motor-cyclists, this estimate assumes that on average it does not differ significantly from that of treating other seriously injured road casualties. The Transport and Road Research Laboratory is currently discussing with a motor cycle manufacturer the possibility of providing a suitable leg guard to TRRL specifications.