Cycling has been acknowledged by the European Commission through the Declaration on Cycling as a healthy and sustainable mode of transport to be encouraged (European Commission, 2023). However, the real and perceived dangers of riding a bicycle in traffic are a major deterrent against cycling (Ng, Debnath, and Heesch, 2017). When sharing the road, motorized vehicles pose a potential safety risk when overtaking bicyclists (Rasch et al., 2022).
With LiDAR data collected by a research bicycle (the Holoscene Bike), an innovative method for measuring overtaking manoeuvres between cyclists and vehicles was developed and implemented. The different phases of the overtaking manoeuvre (Dozza et al., 2016), namely approaching, steering away, passing, and steering back, are recorded. This allows analysing safety relevant parameters such as relative velocities and distances during each phase of the overtaking manoeuvre.
By measuring these safety relevant parameters, the cycling infrastructure of specific road sections can be assessed. This evidence-based method helps traffic planners and local authorities to evaluate measures taken to improve the cycling infrastructure.
An improved infrastructure reducing the risk both real and perceived by potential cyclists can help increasing the modal share of cycling in line with European Commissions goals.
For more information contact: cornelia.zankl@salzburgresearch.at
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European Commission, 2023a. European Declaration on Cycling, COM (2023) 566 final.
Dozza, M., Schindler, R., Bianchi-Piccinini, G., Karlsson, J., 2016. How do drivers overtake cyclists? Accid. Anal. Prev. 88, 29–36. doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2015.12.008
Ng, A., Debnath, A. K., & Heesch, K. C., 2017: Cyclist’ safety perceptions of cycling infrastructure at un-signalised intersections: Cross-sectional survey of Queensland cyclists. – Journal of Transp. & Health, 6, 13–22. doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2017.03.001
Rasch, A., Moll, S., López, G., García, A., Dozza, M., 2022. Drivers’ and cyclists’ safety perceptions in overtaking maneuvers. Transp. Res. Part F Traffic Psychol. Behav. 84, 165–176. doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2021.11.014