Bicycle riding and its related risk behaviors among high and middle school students in Guangzhou city

Objective To explore the prevalence of bicycle riding and its related risk behaviors among middle school students in Guangzhou city and to provide scientific evidence for traffic injury prevention and control. Methods A survey with the "Questionnaire of Health Related Behaviors among Adolescents in China" in combination with some self-designed items was conducted among the students from 12 middle schools in Guangzhou. Results The prevalence of bicycle ridling was 84.4% and that of risk behavior related to bicycle riding was 75.7%.The boys reported a higher rate of risk behavior of bicycle riding than the girls(78.6% vs 73.2%)and the rate was higher among vocational high school students(80.8%) than among high school students(75.3%)and middle school students(74.2%).The rural students showed a higher rate of risk behavior(80.0%)than students of suburb area(74.3%)and urban area(69.7%).The incidence rates of both hands off handlebars,clinging to other vehicles,chasing or rough housing,riding against the traffic flow,carrying person,and ignoring the traffic-control signal were 25.7%,13.6%,24.5%,22.2%,68.1%,and 11.6% among the students,respectively. Of the students,43.8% knew riding bicycle on traffic road was prohibited for children under 12 years old and 50.8% knew how to ride a bicycle on roads without bicycle road. Conclusion The prevalence of risk behavior related to bicycle riding is high among middle school students in Guangzhou and related departments and schools should strengthen the education on the safety of communication and bicycle riding.