Cycling accident alert systems – crash sensors and locator devices

Cycling SafetyCrash sensors & location devices

Critical Moments in our Cycling Lives

Dealing with the worst when it happens

In a previous life, I worked as what was termed a ‘Critical Incident Commander’ within U.K. policing. In effect, it’s the ‘shit has hit the fan’ guy, and the one that gets the call and asked to take control and work out what needs to be done. I’m no expert at the individual aspects that ultimately save the day. However, I am experienced and hopefully quite skilled at knowing who the necessary experts are, when to call them and when to listen and to take their advice. My wife has always said that I’m good in a crisis, which is ultimately the most important skill – staying calm and staying focused, and ensuring that if a life can be save – we save it.

Add to this that I’m a cyclist and I’ve been hit by a car and treated by paramedics – in Nice, France – and that I’ve been riding with a friend, who I unfortunately witnessed being hit by a Land Rover and trailer as they rode in front of me; then having to take control, help them and arrange for the air ambulance, whilst I tried to remain calm, treat my friend and to positively use those people who came by to see what had happened. I’ve had to try and find people lost in the hills, coordinating search and rescue and other agencies, whilst always working against a ticking clock that directed our hopes of successfully locating them; and, following the 2014 TdF in Yorkshire, when serious cycling accidents seemed to increase within the Dales National Park, I was given the task of putting together a group of experts to look at the detailed reasons behind the increased accidents.

Critical Management of Unforeseen Events

Yes, in life I have both seen and had to deal with too much tragedy, but have worked alongside colleagues: police, paramedics, doctors, search and rescue, who have seen far more, as I simply conducted the orchestra. So, why is this important, you may well ask? Quite simply, because I wanted to talk briefly with you about the use of technology in cycling and how it is now able to make the job of finding cyclists involved in accidents in remote areas, so much easier.

Another role I had historically, was in the development of computer tech in the early 2000s. I worked alongside brands such as Cisco, BT, Microsoft, Intel and others at a national level. It was obvious at that time that technology would one day be where it is now; and so, it’s been inevitable that cycling would one day benefit from it. Look at mobile phones; we’re already tracked, as we are with fitness devices from brands such as Polar and Garmin, to name but two. When necessary, you can be tracked to within a metre quite easily. It may be that ‘big brother is watching you’, but when cycling on your own, or hiking in the wilderness, that can be beneficial.

Getting to the Golden Hour

Ultimately, the ‘Golden Hour’ isn’t an hour – let’s get that myth out of the way. If you get to a person at 40 minutes, their condition will be far worse than if you get to them at 20 minutes – it’s obvious. The golden hour is ultimately – and I will bow to Wikipedia here, as it references it well:

‘In emergency medicine, the golden hour is the period of time immediately after a traumatic injury during which there is the highest likelihood that prompt medical and surgical treatment will prevent death. While initially defined as an hour, the exact time period depends on the nature of the injury and can be more than or less than this duration. It is well established that the person’s chances of survival are greatest if they receive care within a short period of time after a severe injury; however, there is no evidence to suggest that survival rates drop off after 60 minutes. Some have come to use the term to refer to the core principle of rapid intervention in trauma cases, rather than the narrow meaning of a critical one-hour time period.’

Wikipedia, accessed 8th Jan 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_hour_(medicine)

Let Tech Help Guide Your Solo Riding Safety

Ultimately, people who come of their bike in the hills and hit their head or cause significant trauma to their body – externally or internally – need rapid intervention, and that intervention can only be accessed if we know exactly where that person is. That is where technology can help, and that’s why all cyclists need to consider using it on every ride into places such as the Yorkshire Dales and elsewhere. The longer that a person lies there, alone and in trauma, the more likely it is that they will be more difficult to treat. I know that it’s an old technique, but it requires little technology and always helps – tell someone where you’re going, how long you should be and at what time to be worried. It’s not cool to simply trust things to chance – it’s stupid and selfish.

Let Tech Help Guide Your Solo Riding Safety

Ultimately, people who come off their bike in the hills and hit their head or cause significant trauma to their body – externally or internally – need rapid intervention, and that intervention can only be accessed if we know exactly where that person is. That is where technology can help, and that’s why all cyclists need to consider using it on every ride into places such as the Yorkshire Dales. If that technology can also give us an idea  of the type of trauma suffered, then it’s even better. However, the main issue is getting assistance to the cyclist as soon as possible, and that can be difficult, or not happen at all – as I’ve unfortunately witnessed far too often. Technology is obviously an answer to this dilemma and I’ve used it to locate people in the most pressing emergencies  – with cell-site data. Having it available on the cycling market is a gift – and may bring the gift of life at the most critical moment.

There’s a wealth of options available today for outdoor people. World-leading brand, Camelbak have developed a backpack that has in-built tracking technology, and so your family and friends can locate you should the need arise, and get that all-important help to you. The fact that it’s by Camelbak also means that you can take the right safety equipment with you – in the backpack! Yes, first aid kits, emergency blanket, whistle and torch. Trust me, having been involved in hands on searching too, hearing a whistle from an injured and lost person helps to locate them just that much quicker. One patch of heather can look like another in darkness.

Locator Devices

Now, the Camelbak system is excellent for bike packers, gravel bike tourers and trail riders, in terms of giving that all-important location, but what is really useful are the devices now available to fit to your cycling helmet – or in some cases already built in – that also indicate a head injury or that the head had moved in a way that likely was a collision with something. We’re into that ‘shit has hit the fan’ moment now. Imagine it; you’ve gone for a lone rode into the hills, descended to quickly and come off, hitting a wall. There you are, lying alone and injured on an isolated and remote road, a long drive from anywhere and with little passing traffic – welcome to some of our best cycling areas in Europe and beyond!

Crash Sensors for Cyclists

One of the sensors now available, and one of the earliest into the market, has been the ALECK TOCSEN sensor, which fits to helmets and comes with an app. It records all the necessary information, tracks you and sends a message to those listed when the need arises. What’s really useful with this system, is that it also creates a network of users, meaning that if your sensor is set to activate to other users and they’re nearby, they’ll get an alert too. I reviewed this some time ago for friends at Chevin Cycles – Harrogate and Otley based leading retailer and close friends of mine. It’s a simple but very effective system, and there’s a link below to the review at Chevin Cycles:

https://www.chevincycles.com/hub/2024/02/17/tocsen-crash-sensor-for-cyclists/

The Tocsen sensor is simple to set up and simple to use. You can even do a test call with the system; and, if you lose signal, it can give people your last location too, and has a time setting option.

nearby users alerted 

Ultimately, brands such as Specialized and Garmin have now also just the market place, alongside new entrants such as Quinn Design, who I spoke briefly with at EuroBike last year. For me though, the ALECK TOCSEN sensor is the only one that I’ve tested out in the hills, and so it’s the only one I can speak in depth about and recommend at this time. Cost-wise, it’s a reasonable price, when you then consider that this sensor fitted to your helmet may just save your life, by getting the right resources to you as quickly as possible, should you take a serious tumble on a solo ride into hills.

Stay Riding & Stay Safe

We’ll be testing out the Camelbak system in the spring, and we’re hoping to be able to take a detailed look at Quinn Design too, and how they – in their words – have taken the information available to the next level. For now, though, what experience has taught me is to let others know where you’re riding, and to always ride within your limits and to the conditions. The Yorkshire Dales, North Yorks Moors and the Lake District are difficult areas for cycling – especially descending on the often loose and gritty surfaces of the tight and twisting narrow lanes. Take your time and don’t try to ride like a pro. Let’s all ride home safely. I for one have seen to many serious and fatal accidents, and life is too precious to waste. Let technology help to look after you, and make sure that every adventure on 2-wheels is a safe as it possibly can be – you may not even have an hour if you fall…

Related Content