Safety-oriented bicycling and traffic accident involvement

Many U.S. bicyclists are killed or injured in traffic accidents annually. Based on analysis of available research and published reports on traffic accidents, it was theorized that adherence to six safety-oriented on-road bicycling practices will reduce involvement in traffic accidents. This study investigated whether adherence to these safety-oriented bicycling practices is associated with reduced involvement in traffic accidents. U.S. adult bicycle riders responded to an anonymous on-line survey covering bicycling practices, recent traffic accident experiences, and potential confounding variables. Participants were recruited via on-line announcements to bicycling-related organizations. The results suggested that neither vigilance nor cautiousness will protect adult bicycle riders from traffic accident involvement, but predictability might reduce accident risk, particularly for younger adults. Results should be interpreted cautiously due to limitations in the study methodology. Further research of this type is warranted.This paper is a re-formulation of research originally presented as a conference paper and oral presentation at the International Cycling Safety Conference in Bologna, Italy, 3–4 November 2016.