Cycling mobility, ERSO report on cyclist safety published
The European Road Safety Observatory (ERSO) recently published a new thematic report on improving road safety for cyclists in which it highlights the vulnerability of cyclists in urban areas. Over the past decade, road fatalities have fallen significantly in all other road user groups in the EU, but accidents involving cyclists remain high.
ERSO therefore highlights the seriousness of the problem, revealing that around 2,000 cyclists died in traffic in the EU in 2022, with many more suffering injuries. This figure may even be lower than reality, given the likelihood of many unreported cases that did not involve motor vehicles.
Accidents involving cyclists are mainly caused by a combination of factors that can be broadly divided into infrastructural and behavioural factors. Infrastructural factors can include the general layout of the road or, in the case of bicycle accidents involving motor vehicles, the absence of cycling infrastructure. Behavioural factors such as speeding, distraction, running red lights and alcohol for both cyclists and other road users also increase the risk of accidents.
The report therefore offers several recommendations for cities to help prevent accidents involving cyclists with and without motor vehicles. With regard to infrastructure, the ERSO recommends:
- Dedicated cycle paths, physically separated
- Lower speed limit for motor vehicles on roads without physically separated cycle lanes
- Have slip resistance and well-maintained road surfaces without obstacles in the cycle paths
- Use of technologies such as intelligent speed assistance in cars to discourage high speed driving in low speed zones
Another high-impact measure highlighted in the report is ensuring adequate road lighting, enabling other road users to spot cyclists at night. The use of protective equipment such as helmets and car-mounted external airbags can also reduce injuries to cyclists in the event of an accident.
The paper is part of a series of 20 thematic reports that aim to provide planners and the general public with an overview of the most important questions and results of road safety research.
Source: TTS Italy
