Single bicycle accidents resulting from failed interactions

SEK 3 333 000 (LU: SEK 1 000 000), Swedish Transport Administration

Single accidents are the main cause of injuries for bicyclists. Approximately half of them could be attributed to poor infrastructure maintenance, such as slippery or uneven bicycle roads. The causes for the other half are less clear.

This project explores the hypothesis that some bicycle falls could be caused by unsuccessful interactions, either with other road users or with the infrastructure. For example, a bicyclist may try to avoid a collision with a pedestrian who suddenly stepped out, but instead looses his/her balance and falls. The infrastructure may 'surprise' bicyclists by sudden turns, narrowings, or presence of unexpected objects (poles, curbs, etc.). This may lead to sudden adjustments of the speed and heading and, ultimately, to a loss of balance and a fall.

The project is done in cooperation with the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI) and Viscando AB.