Cycling behaviour and collision risk of utilitarian cyclists in Belgium
(2015) Cycling Futures: From Research into Practice — ISBN: [978-1472453617], p. 33-51, published
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- Abstract
- Accident rates are usually compiled from hospital and police reports. These data are fairly accurate for major and fatal accidents or accidents that include motorized vehicles. However, statistics on minor cycling accidents are incomplete and inaccurate. When it comes to assessing accident risk, an exposure metric (time or distance cycled) is even more difficult to determine from existing data. To tackle this problem an online survey was set up in the SHAPES project. First, general and socio-demographic information about the cyclist and the cycling environment were collected with a general questionnaire. During one year, volunteers were asked to fill in a weekly travel diary about their cycling trips and eventual accidents. Major accidents, requiring more than 24 hours of hospitalization, were discarded because there were too few for a sound statistical analysis. Minor accidents that occurred during utilitarian cycling were categorized in 3 groups: 1) all accidents reported including single vehicle incidents and incidents with only material damage; 2) accidents resulting in minor corporal damage (a bruise or a cramp); 3) accidents resulting in acute body injuries. A unique dataset covering almost 1.5 million kilometres and 20000 travel diaries was collected among 1178 cyclists. On average people cycled 72.6 km per week at a speed of 17.7 km/h. With a stepwise multiple linear regression the influence of personal and environmental factors on the weekly cycled distance was studied. Cyclists which have a cycling path along their road to work cycle 43.3% (CI: 28.8%, 59.5%) more per week. The average distance also increases 15.2% (CI: 10.1%, 20.4%) per 10 years of age. Women cycle 23.1% (CI: -31.2%, -14.1%) less. Average weekly distance is 32.2% (CI: 18.9%, 46.9%) higher in rural areas. The factors influencing the accident risk were determined with a stepwise multiple Poisson regression. Cycling accidents occur on average every 7266 km in this population of cyclists. Age, gender and urbanisation significantly influence the accident risk. Women report 77% (CI: 31.2%, 137.4%) more accidents and cyclists in a rural environment report 31.8% (CI: -8.7%, -49.2%) less accidents than in urban environments. An acute body injury occurs on average every 21071 km. Only age influences the injury risk significantly. Older commuter cyclists have fewer accidents (-5.3% per 10 years, CI: -7.3%, -2.6%). This study shows that the availability of a cycling infrastructure may stimulate utilitarian cycling but we cannot rule out self-selection.
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Degraeuwe, B., de Geus, S., Thomas, I., & et al. (2015). Cycling behaviour and collision risk of utilitarian cyclists in Belgium. In R. Gerike ; J. Parkin (eds) (ed.), Cycling Futures: From Research into Practice (p. p. 33-51). Ashgate Publishing. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/231460