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Cycling levels in cities keep increasing, which is accompanied with more cyclists being involved in serious road crashes. This paper aims to contribute to safer urban cycling by examining risk factors associated with cycling in the four largest Dutch cities, incorporating spatial and temporal variations in bicycle crash risk. For this purpose, the crashes and exposure metrics are analysed on an hourly temporal resolution. The results reveal that utilising an hourly temporal resolution in the exposure metrics and bicycle crash risk gives more detailed results compared to daily averages of these metrics. Moreover, the exposure to cyclists and motorised vehicles both have a significant impact on bicycle crash risk. The results also imply that separating cyclists from high-speed motorised vehicles might be more important than implementing a lower speed limit to curb the increasing severity of crashes. Despite some local differences, the overall results of the risk factors are remarkably similar across the cities, providing increased generalisability and transferability of the study. The findings indicate that concerns about the effects of increasing bicycle use and large flows of motorised vehicles on bicycle crash risk are valid, showing the importance of efforts towards improving bicycle safety in cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid‐state polymerized electrolytes exhibit advantageous properties, making them optimal candidates for next‐gen commercial solid‐state batteries. However, these electrolytes present significant challenges in terms of long‐term cycling stability, energy density, and safety. In this study, a ternary eutectic solid electrolyte (TESE) is prepared by combining deep eutectic solvents (DESs), polyvinylidene fluoride‐hexafluoropropylene (PVDF‐HFP), and fluorinated ethylene carbonate (FEC). TESE also facilitates uniform lithium deposition, interfacial stability, and long‐cycle stability. N‐Methylacetamide in DESs preferentially occupies the lithium dissolution sheath, which in turn initiates a concentration gradient‐driven decomposition of FEC and stimulates the generation of inorganic solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layers. The lithium metal and graphite soft pack full batteries are successfully assembled, demonstrating that Li/P‐0.8‐FEC/LFP exhibits excellent long‐cycle performance, with a capacity of 139.9 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles at 1 C 25 °C, accompanied by 97.8 % capacity retention. Furthermore, the Gr/P‐0.8‐FEC/LFP commercial solid‐state flexible pack full cell exhibits stable cycling performance at a high rate of 1 C. Moreover, the device exhibits remarkable safety in a series of rigorous safety tests, including 100 repeated bendings, pinning, 7100 N force extrusion, and cutting. The study results demonstrate that the electrolyte exhibits excellent cycling performance and safety characteristics, indicating significant potential for commercialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While cycling presents environmental benefits and promotes a healthy lifestyle, the risks associated with overtaking maneuvers by motorized vehicles represent a significant barrier for many potential cyclists. A large-scale analysis of overtaking maneuvers could inform traffic researchers and city planners how to reduce these risks by better understanding these maneuvers. Drawing from the fields of sensor-based cycling research and from LiDAR-based traffic data sets, this paper provides a step towards addressing these safety concerns by introducing the Salzburg Bicycle 3d (SaBi3d) data set, which consists of LiDAR point clouds capturing car-to-bicycle overtaking maneuvers. The data set, collected using a LiDAR-equipped bicycle, facilitates the detailed analysis of a large quantity of overtaking maneuvers without the need for manual annotation through enabling automatic labeling by a neural network. Additionally, a benchmark result for 3D object detection using a competitive neural network is provided as a baseline for future research. The SaBi3d data set is structured identically to the nuScenes data set, and therefore offers compatibility with numerous existing object detection systems. This work provides valuable resources for future researchers to better understand cycling infrastructure and mitigate risks, thus promoting cycling as a viable mode of transportation. Dataset: https://osf.io/k7cg9 (accessed on 18 July 2024). Dataset License: CC-By Attribution 4.0 International. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Infrastructure design influences cycling and overtaking behaviour. • Cyclists feel more distracted when engaging in cognitive tasks. • Cognitive distraction does not impair cycling behaviour in simple situations. • A simulator study assessing hands-free cognitive distraction while cycling. • The distraction and complexity levels were too low to lead to behavioural adjustments. Previous studies using a survey or field observational approach show that secondary task engagement negatively impacts cyclists' performance. Prohibiting handheld phone use, while allowing hands-free use via headphones, is applied to reduce safety critical impact of secondary task engagement. Hands-free secondary task engagement limits visual-motor distraction, but cognitive distraction might still impact cycling performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the behavioural effects of hands-free cognitive secondary task engagement while riding alone on different kinds of cycle paths as well as when overtaking other cyclists and reacting to typical events like stopping at a traffic light or evading a pedestrian or an obstacle on the cycle way. Using the cycling simulator at the Department of Traffic and Engineering Psychology at the TU-Braunschweig, a mixed design was used with three levels of secondary task engagement as the independent between-factor: no task (NT), podcast task (PC), acoustic speech task (AS). Additionally, three types of lane markings of the cycle way and three events were varied as within-factors. N = 58 participants (36 female, 22 male) completed the experiment. In none of the situations and none of the parameters examined, an effect of secondary task engagement was found, although cyclists subjectively felt more distracted. This was not due to a lack of sensitivity to the parameters measured, as the types of infrastructure significantly influenced cycling and overtaking behaviour. In line with multiple resource theory, results suggest that secondary tasks requiring cognitive but not visual-motor resources can be done while cycling without adverse effects on behaviour. However, this might also be an effect of task difficulty and may change when the cycling task or the secondary task becomes more complex. Thus, additional studies including more complex traffic situations, are relevant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Study examined how safety alerts should be communicated to cyclists. • Following a field trial with 38 cyclists, a technology acceptance survey was conducted. • Alerts for high crash-risk locations and nature of risk were preferred in auditory, visual, and haptic modalities. • Alerts should reflect real-time traffic conditions and unpredictable movements of other road users. • App should run in background and communicate with other cycling and navigational apps. Bicycle-mounted crash avoidance technologies have been developed to improve cyclist safety. However, their effectiveness in alerting cyclists of potential dangers and the preferences of cyclists regarding the types and mechanisms of receiving alerts have not been examined extensively in field trials. To address this gap, this paper aims to understand how safety alerts are best communicated to cyclists. This aim was achieved by undertaking a field trial of a smartphone app, which was the user interface of an innovative Intersection Safety Alert System (ISAS). A total of 38 participants rode bicycles equipped with the ISAS in a 2-day field trial in downtown Melbourne, Australia, and then completed a technology acceptance survey. The survey data were analysed using statistical and thematic analysis methods to derive insights on how cycling safety technologies should be designed to ensure a good level of user acceptance. Results showed that cyclists would be willing to use or recommend a safety app that is free from privacy or security concerns, be able to provide alerts that can effectively notify about dangerous situations, and be effective in improving the safety for the whole cycling community. Cyclists preferred to receive simple and clear safety alerts that provided information on high-risk locations and the nature of dangers through an easy-to-use user interface that runs in the background and communicates with other cycling and navigational apps. They wanted the alerts to convey real-time and non-obvious traffic conditions and unpredictable movements of other road users. Preferences and comments regarding auditory, visual and haptic modalities of presenting alerts differed among riders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclists are considered to be vulnerable road users (VRUs) and need protection from potential collisions with cars and other vehicles induced by unsafe driving, dangerous road conditions, or weak cycling infrastructure. Integrating mmWave radars into cycling safety measures presents an efficient solution to this problem given their compact size, low power consumption, and low cost compared to other sensors. This paper introduces an mmWave radar-based bike safety system designed to offer real-time alerts to cyclists. The system consists of a low-power radar sensor affixed to the bicycle, connected to a micro-controller, and delivering a preliminary classification of detected obstacles. An efficient two-level clustering based on the accumulation of radar point clouds from multiple frames with a temporal projection from previous frames into the current frame is proposed. The clustering is followed by a coarse classification algorithm in which we use relevant features extracted from the resulting clusters. An annotated RadBike dataset composed of radar point cloud data synchronized with RGB camera images is developed to evaluate our system. The two-level clustering outperforms the DBSCAN algorithm, achieving a v-measure score of 0.91, compared to 0.88 with classical DBSCAN. Different classifiers, including decision trees, random forests, support vector machines (SVMs), and AdaBoost, have been assessed, with an overall accuracy of 87% for the three main object classes: four-wheeled, two-wheeled, and others. The system has the ability to improve rider safety on the road and substantially reduce the frequency of incidents involving cyclists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) is one of the most common complications of post-ICU syndrome. It is the leading cause of gait disturbance, decreased activities of daily living, and poor health-related quality of life. The early rehabilitation of critically ill patients can reduce the ICU-AW. We designed a protocol to investigate the feasibility and safety of conventional rehabilitation with additional in-bed cycling/stepping in critically ill patients. Methods: The study is designed as a single-center, single-blind, pilot, randomized, parallel-group study. After the screening, participants are randomly allocated to two groups, stratified by mechanical ventilation status. The intervention group will be provided with exercises of in-bed cycling/stepping according to the level of consciousness, motor power, and function in addition to conventional rehabilitation. In contrast, the control group will be provided with only conventional rehabilitation. The length of intervention is from ICU admission to discharge, and interventions will be conducted for 20 minutes, a maximum of three sessions per day. Results: The outcomes are the number and percentage of completed in-bed cycling/stepping sessions, the duration and percentage of in-bed cycling/stepping sessions, and the number of cessations of in-bed cycling/stepping sessions, the interval from ICU admission to the first session of in-bed cycling/stepping, the number and percentage of completed conventional rehabilitation sessions, the duration and percentage of conventional rehabilitation sessions, the number of cessations of conventional rehabilitation sessions, the number of adverse events, level of consciousness, functional mobility, muscle strength, activities of daily living, and quality of life. Discussion: This study is a pilot clinical trial to investigate the feasibility and safety of conventional rehabilitation with additional in-bed cycling/stepping in critically ill patients. If the expected results are achieved in this study, the methods of ICU rehabilitation will be enriched. Trial registration: clinicialtrials.gov, Clinical Trials Registration #NCT05868070. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dockless bike sharing, also known as the shared bicycle industry, is booming, especially in China. Since cyclists are more vulnerable than motor vehicle drivers in traffic crashes, it is necessary to investigate shared bicycle traffic safety. Road network patterns and the proportion of different points of interest (POIs) are two critical macro-level factors influencing bicycle crashes. Therefore, it is necessary to consider bicycle traffic safety in road networks and land use policy in road traffic planning. This study investigated risk exposure, demographic data, proportion of different POIs, land use, road network features, and bicycle crashes in 124 census tracts in Beijing's Sixth Ring Road area. The betweenness centrality was calculated for the census tracts to classify the road network patterns. A negative binomial conditional autoregressive (NB-CAR) model was developed for bicycle total crashes, and bivariate negative binomial CAR (BNB-CAR) models were developed for bicycle single-vehicle (SV) and multi-vehicle (MV) crashes, property damage only (PDO) and injury crashes. The results show the following. 1) The BNB-CAR model had a better fit than the NB-CAR model. 2) The census tracts with parallel, mixed, and loops & lollipops patterns were associated with higher bicycle crash frequency than those with a grid pattern. The difference in the bicycle SV crash frequency between the mixed and loop & lollipop patterns was larger than that in the bicycle MV crash frequency. 3) Census tracts with higher proportions of POIs for subway and bus stations (T-POI) were associated with fewer bicycle crashes. 4) Census tracts with higher arterial proportions were associated with more injury crashes. This study provides a theoretical basis for formulating road network and land-use policies to ensure road traffic safety. • The relationship of road network patterns and points of interest to shared bicycle crashes were analyzed. • Betweenness centrality was utilized to classify road network patterns of census tracts. • A bivariate negative binomial CAR model was developed for shared bicycle single-vehicle, multi-vehicle, property damage only, and injury crashes. • Road network of grid pattern was the safest for shared bicycles compared with those of parallel, mixed, and loops & lollipops patterns. • Census tracts with higher proportions of POIs for subway and bus stations were associated with fewer bicycle crashes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most well-known forms of active mobility, cycling is an environmentally friendly way to explore a destination, becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide. However, safety is the most severe issue facing cyclists and the essential factor for people who are hesitant to use bikes. In this context, we propose a safety assessment method for cycling routes in urban environments. This work presents how to automatically generate a safe cycling map integrating volunteered geographic information with GIS analysis. We start by extracting the indicators that can possibly contribute to cycling safety from OpenStreetMap. Then, we set up a multivariate linear regression equation to solve the importance of indicators. Afterward, we generate a weighted graph model that represents cycling safety. Taking the City of Bonn, Germany, as an example, we implement our approach for this region. The experiment results show that Bonn is a city for safe cycling, confirming the claim that Bonn is a bike-friendly city. Our findings can also be used to plan the safest route for cycling, thereby enhancing the overall biking experience in Bonn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The realization of the many benefits of bicycling will not be achieved in American regions until safer bike infrastructure and bicycling conditions are presented to a more general population. The Phoenix region—one of the nation's most populous—has sought policies and programs to increase bicycling rates. Yet, the region continues to have a small mode share, underscoring a need to motivate population-level bicycling adoption. This study examines 2015–2019 bicycle-vehicle crash data to identify those macro-level factors associated with bicycle-vehicle crashes and a subset of crashes where a serious injury or fatality occurred. Specifically, the effects of a robust set of socioeconomic and built environment factors, measured at three hexagon spatial extents, in negative binomial and spatial Durbin models were estimated for the two crash outcomes. Results show denser zones with a traditional network design experienced more bicyclist-involved crashes, as did zones with a higher percentage of low-income households and working-age adults. Findings, which also found spatial clustering of total and severe bicyclist-involved crashes, suggest that the targeted provision of safer bike infrastructure and a more complete network in zones exhibiting certain macro-level attributes holds promise in creating bike-friendly conditions that generate more utilitarian and recreational bicycling throughout the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Riders moved significantly further away from overtaking vehicles equipped with Adaptive Headlamp Systems (AHS) compared to a control condition. • AHS has the potential to improve bicycling safety in nighttime conditions when lighting conditions are poor. Introduction : The risk of motor vehicle-bicyclist crashes and fatalities is greater during nighttime than daytime lighting conditions, even though there are fewer cyclists on roadways at night. Vehicle Adaptive Headlamp Systems (AHS) aim to increase the visibility of bicyclists for drivers by directing a spotlight to illuminate bicyclists on or near the roadway. AHS technology also serves to alert bicyclists to the approaching vehicle by illuminating the road beneath the rider and by projecting a warning icon on the roadway. Method: Here, we examined how bicyclists respond to different AHS designs using a large screen, immersive virtual environment. Participants bicycled along a virtual road during nighttime lighting conditions and were overtaken by vehicles with and without an AHS system. The experiment included five treatment conditions with five different AHS designs. In each design a box of white light was projected beneath the rider; in four of the designs an icon was also projected on the road that varied in color (white or red) and position (to the left of the rider at midline or to the left of the front wheel). Participants in the control condition experienced only non-AHS vehicles. Results: We found that riders in all AHS treatment conditions moved significantly farther away from overtaking vehicles with AHS systems, whereas riders in the control condition did not significantly move away from overtaking vehicles without AHS systems. Practical Applications: The experiment demonstrates that AHS has potential to increase bicycling safety by influencing riders to steer away from overtaking vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable lithium‐metal batteries (RLBs), which employ the Li‐metal anode to acquire notably boosted specific energy at cell level, represent the "Holy Grail" for "beyond Li‐ion" electrochemical energy storage technology. Currently, the practical use of RLBs is impeded by poor cycling and safety performance, which are derived from high chemical reactivity of metallic Li and uncontrollable formation and propagation of metal dendrites during repeated Li plating/stripping. In this study, a new strategy is demonstrated to stabilize the anode electrochemistry of RLBs by applying a Mg3N2‐decorated functional separator onto the Li‐metal surface. An in situ conversion‐alloying reaction occurring at Li‐separator interface assists formation of a mixed ion/electron conducting layer that consists mainly of Li3N and Li‐Mg solid‐solution. The inorganic interlayer effectively suppresses parasitic reactions at Li‐electrolyte interface while simultaneously homogenizes Li+/e‐ flux across the interface and therefore, contributes to dendrite‐free operation of Li‐metal anode. A Li||LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 battery based on the functional separator delivers a reversible capacity of 129 mAh g‐1 after 600 cycles at 0.5 C, which corresponds to a capacity retention of 75.9%. The preparation of functional separator is scalable and adaptive to battery manufacture, which brings new opportunities to realize high‐energy RLBs with long cycle life and improved safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Data in Brief (DiB) article presents the differences in cycling behaviors related to violations, errors, and positive behaviors by region. The study data were collected by means of a structured questionnaire applied to a full sample of 7,001 participants from 19 countries, distributed over 5 continents. This paper proposes descriptive statistics, as well as common statistical tests. The aim is to enable authors to make their own analyses, not to provide precise interpretations. For further information about the macro project supporting the collection of these data, it is advised to refer to the paper titled “Cross-culturally approaching the cycling behavior questionnaire (CBQ): Evidence from 19 countries”, published in Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behavior.

Bicycles are an eco-friendly mode of transportation, and in the capital city of South Korea, Seoul, efforts are being made to encourage citizens to use bicycles. However, without appropriate safety measures, these efforts can lead to an increase in bicycle-related traffic accidents. To promote bicycle usage while ensuring safety, this study identified various factors that influence bicycle accidents. Data were utilized that had not been properly considered in previous bicycle accident-related studies, including slope and the level of public transportation services. By considering the factors influencing bicycle traffic accidents, various models were constructed, and through comparisons of statistical indicators, the optimal model was selected geographically weighted negative binomial regression. Ultimately, three significant conclusions to ensure bicycle safety were drawn. First, across all areas of Seoul, an increase in road slope leads to a decrease in bicycle-related accidents. Furthermore, for certain Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZs), as the number of local buses (or neighborhood/community buses) increases, the bicycle traffic volume decreases, resulting in a reduction in bicycle accidents. Lastly, for some TAZs, an increase in bicycle lanes to be installed into the roadway was associated with an increase in bicycle accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• E-scooters perform worse than bicycles in braking maneuvers, but not in steering. • Large public sharing e-scooters perform more safely than the light personal e-scooters. • Arctangent models can be used in modeling and predicting micromobility vehicle's trajectories. • Studies in novel micromobility vehicles can inform the ADAS development, road traffic policy making and infrastructure design. Introduction: In recent years, as novel micromobility vehicles (MMVs) have hit the market and rapidly gained popularity, new challenges in road safety have also arisen. There is an urgent need for validated models that comprehensively describe the behavior of such novel MMVs. This study aims to compare the longitudinal and lateral control of bicycles and e-scooters in a collision-avoidance scenario from a top-down perspective, and to propose appropriate quantitative models for parameterizing and predicting the trajectories of the avoidance—braking and steering—maneuvers. Method: We compared a large e-scooter and a light e-scooter with a bicycle (in assisted and non-assisted modes) in field trials to determine whether these new vehicles have different maneuverability constraints when avoiding a rear-end collision by braking and/or steering. Results: Braking performance in terms of deceleration and jerk varies among the different types of vehicles; specifically, e-scooters are not as effective at braking as bicycles, but the large e-scooter demonstrated better braking performance than the light one. No statistically significant difference was observed in the steering performance of the vehicles. Bicycles were perceived as more stable, maneuverable, and safe than e-scooters. The study also presents arctangent kinematic models for braking and steering, which demonstrate better accuracy and informativeness than linear models. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the new micromobility solutions have some maneuverability characteristics that differ significantly from those of bicycles, and even within their own kind. Steering could be a more efficient collision-avoidance strategy for MMVs than braking under certain circumstances, such as in a rear-end collision. More complicated modeling for MMV kinematics can be beneficial but needs validation. Practical Applications: The proposed arctangent models could be used in new advanced driving assistance systems to prevent crashes between cars and MMV users. Micromobility safety could be improved by educating MMV riders to adapt their behavior accordingly. Further, knowledge about the differences in maneuverability between e-scooters and bicycles could inform infrastructure design, and traffic regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Evaluation of a system warning cyclists against safety critical events trimodally. • Cyclist warning system using real time information provided by connected traffic. • Earlier braking reactions for rides with vs. without warning system. • System can enhance cyclists' situation awareness in safety critical situations. • Increased perceived safety and stable workload for rides with vs. without system. Problem: Increasing numbers of crashes involving pedelecs, and particularly older pedelec users, induce a need to enhance cycling safety. We evaluated a prototype cyclist warning system (CWS) that aims to increase situation awareness (SA) by alerting to safety critical events (SCE) with trimodal (auditory, visual, tactile). Method: To investigate the effects of CWS usage, we conducted a 2x2 mixed design bicycle simulator study with factors (1) CWS usage (within: rides WITH vs. WITHOUT CWS) and (2) age group (between: younger vs. older cyclists) on braking reaction time, gaze behavior, mental workload, and perceived safety. In sum, N = 64 participants (n = 32 younger, 18–40 years; n = 32 older, ≥ 55 years) took part in the study and experienced two balanced blocks of short rides including SCE of particular relevance for cycling safety. Results: CWS usage resulted in earlier braking reactions to all investigated SCE and partly earlier fixation on the critical interaction partners (CIP) indicating increased cyclists' SA. Consistently to behavioral measures, participants' assessments regarding perceived safety further supported the safety improvements derived from CWS independently of age group. Moreover, CWS usage did not add to mental workload ratings. Age effects were selectively found for gaze data showing that across all SCE, older adults fixated longer and more frequently on street alignment, and less frequently on other road users. Discussion: Taken together, the CWS evaluation showed promising results indicating the potential of the tested CWS to increase SA and enhance cyclists' safety both on a behavioral level and regarding subjective assessments. Further research should address the systems' safety potential under real-world conditions and for situations of higher complexity. Practical Applications: Understanding the potential impact of road safety measures such as CWS is important to contribute effectively to reducing SCE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Joint assessment of accessibility and safety revealed inequity issues more clearly. • Low-income people have disadvantages in terms of job accessibility and traffic safety. • Low-income zones have the highest crash risk and/or lowest job accessibility by bicycle. • City centers are the best zones regarding safety and accessibility. • People aged between 45 and 64 are exposed to higher cycling crash risks while having lower job accessibility. Problem: Transport policies generally prioritize improving safety and accessibility levels, as they are regarded as the most important indicators of the quality of the transport system serving the public. However, inequalities associated with safety and accessibility issues are generally overlooked in these policies. Despite the importance and necessity of transport policies to address equity issues, there is still scarce knowledge on the interactions between equity, safety, and accessibility. This research aims to address this gap in the literature by creating a better understanding of the relationships between accessibility levels and traffic safety with a focus on social equity perspectives. Method: A crash risk evaluation method and a Gravity model are utilized to analyze cycling safety and accessibility to jobs by bicycle. Two linear regression models (LM) were conducted to investigate the statistical correlations between cycling crash risk and accessibility. Moreover, the Bivariate local Moran's I method was employed to assess the spatial inequalities of distribution of crash risk and job accessibility over different income-level populations. Results: The analyses showed that low-income people are not only disadvantaged in terms of job accessibility by bicycle but are also exposed to higher cycling crash risks, compared to high-income groups. Furthermore, most disadvantaged zones that have the highest need for road safety and accessibility improvements are identified as areas where low-income populations are exposed to higher crash risk and/or have lower access to jobs by bicycle. Summary: This study contributes to the transport literature by investigating the interactions between safety and accessibility and the impacts on transport equity. The findings of the statistical and spatial analysis are beneficial for the decision-makers, considering the probable mutual implications of land-use and transport developments and projects aiming to improve safety, accessibility, or both for different population groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction : In pursuit of sustainability goals, many cities are introducing measures to increase the usage of bicycles as a means of transportation. City planners aim to ensure that this increase does not lead to an increase in crashes, but must make corresponding infrastructure decisions with limited information. Sufficient data to perform a statistical analysis of location-specific crash frequencies is rarely available. For example, only approximately 10% of all bicycle crashes are reported to the police (Shinar et al., 2018). Therefore, urban planners often rely on expert opinion, which may lead to suboptimal prioritization and realization of infrastructure improvements. Method: This paper demonstrates how surveys on bicycle crashes can be used to aid urban planners in making infrastructure decisions. In addition to confirming the location and characteristics of reported crashes, surveys can uncover characteristics of crashes that are not reported to the police, situations in which a crash almost occurred, and locations perceived by cyclists to be dangerous. Surveys also allow urban planners to investigate non-infrastructure related causes of crashes, such as the frequency with which individual cyclists use other modes of transportation. Practical Applications: The usefulness of surveys in the determination of urban cycling safety is demonstrated in this paper through analysis of survey results from the city of Zurich in 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• About a quarter of single-bicycle crash casualties ride off the pavement. • The wider the cycle track, the more distance cyclists maintain from the verge. • Cyclists ride closer to the verge due to oncoming cyclists. • A width of 250 cm is advised for bidirectional cycle paths. Introduction: Sufficient cycle track width is important to prevent single-bicycle crashes and collisions between cyclists. The assumptions on which the minimum width is based in guidelines is founded on only a few studies. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship between cycle track width and lateral position of cyclists. Method: We conducted an experiment to evaluate the lateral position of cyclists along cycle tracks with different widths (Study 1). Participants cycled on an instrumented bicycle with a LIDAR to measure their lateral position. Five conditions were defined: cycle track width of 100 cm, 150 cm and 200 cm without interaction, and cycle track width of 150 cm and 200 cm with an oncoming cyclist simulated by a parked bicycle. The cross-sectional Study 2 is based on the collected lateral position measurements at cycle tracks with varying width reported in Dutch studies since 2010. Results: The experimental Study 1 with 24 participants shows that an increase in cycle track width causes cyclists to ride further away from the verge and keep more distance from an oncoming cyclist. The cross-sectional Study 2 was based on lateral position measured at 33 real-life Dutch cycle tracks. Study 2 yielded similar results, indicating that doubling pavement width increases lateral position by some 50%. Study 2 shows that, compared with a solo cyclist without interaction, a right-hand cyclist of a duo and a cyclist meeting an oncoming cyclist ride around 30% closer to the verge. Conclusions: The wider the cycle track, the more distance cyclists maintain from the verge. Cyclists ride closer to the verge due to oncoming cyclists. Practical applications: Given a cyclists' lateral position while meeting, common variations between cyclists' steering behavior, and vehicle width and circumstances, a cycle track width of 250 cm is needed for safe meeting maneuvers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A significant decrease in distance cycled in snowy/icy conditions compared to other conditions was found. • The decrease in winter cycling is weaker in cities with higher cycling mode share throughout the whole year. • In snowy/icy conditions, cyclists have a 20–38 times higher risk of falling per km cycled compared to other weather conditions. • In the event of a cyclist fall, the risk of injuries is lower in snowy/icy conditions compared to other conditions. • This reduced risk for injuries in the event of a fall does not outweigh the increased risk of falling in the first place. Introduction: So far, no studies are known that estimate distance-based risks for cyclist falls in snowy/icy conditions compared to other conditions to account for differences in cycling levels in the different weather situations. Method: The number of cyclist falls was gathered from retrospective surveys in Germany. Cycling distances were obtained from the German Household Travel Survey "Mobility in cities – SrV," assigned to meteorological data, and validated against counts and own surveys. The number of falls per distance cycled and Risk Ratios for snowy/icy versus other weather conditions were estimated. Results: An average decrease of 53% in the distance travelled per person and day is estimated for snowy/icy days versus other days. This decrease is lower in regions with higher general cycling mode shares. We find average risks of falls from 9.5 to 16 (field surveys) up to 76.5 falls per 10,000 km (online survey) and average Risk Ratios for cycling in snowy/icy conditions of 20 (field survey conducted in times of other weather) to 36 (field survey conducted in times of snow/ice) and 38 (online survey conducted in times of snow/ice). The risk of suffering an injury in the event of a fall is lower in snowy/icy compared to other weather conditions. Conclusions: Seeing the current trend of growing general cycling levels in Germany, we expect more cycling in winter and, in case of unchanged winter weather and maintenance, a substantial increase of cyclist falls. The reduced risk of being injured in the event of a fall in snowy/icy conditions does not outweigh the higher risk of falling in the first place. Practical Applications: Improved winter maintenance on cycling facilities can help increase winter cycling and reduce the risk of falls at the same time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Bicycle helmet use has increased in Denmark without helmet legislation. • An observational study has monitored helmet use in Denmark since 2004. • From 2004 to 2022, helmet use among all cyclists has increased from 6% to 50% • From 2004 to 2022, helmet use among school children rose from 33% to 79% • Non-legislative means and social processes could have been important factors. Introduction : Using a bicycle helmet reduces the risk of serious head injuries among cyclists substantially. This makes it highly relevant to increase the use of helmets and to measure the prevalence of bicycle helmet use over time and across different groups. Method: Since 2004, the use of bicycle helmets in Denmark has been measured observationally in two nationwide time series: one among cyclists in city traffic across all age groups, and one among cycling school children (aged 6–16) around schools. The observations have been conducted on a regular basis in different parts of the country following the same methodology over the years. Results: Bicycle helmet use among cyclists in city traffic in Denmark has increased from 6% in 2004 to 50% in 2022. Among cycling school children, helmet use has increased from 33% in 2004 to 79% in 2022. Throughout the years, helmet wearing rates have been highest among young children and lowest among young adults. Since 2015, female cyclists in city traffic have had a slightly higher helmet use than male cyclists. Discussion : Several factors might have affected bicycle helmet use in Denmark. One possible factor is a nationwide focus on traffic safety education and behavior change campaigns to encourage helmet wearing. Furthermore, among stakeholders on cycling safety there has been consensus on recommending bicycle helmet use and supporting the promotion of helmets while not recommending or promoting helmet legislation. Finally, more safety-oriented behavior in road traffic in general, and self-reinforcing effects of increased helmet use have plausibly been important factors. Practical Applications : Increasing bicycle helmet use in a country where cycling is popular is possible in the absence of mandatory bicycle helmet legislation. Persistent behavior change campaigning and education, stakeholder consensus, higher levels of road safety-oriented behaviors, and self-reinforcing processes could potentially be important factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distraction has been a behavior evaluated among drivers and more recently pedestrians but remains understudied among bicyclists. Demographic variables have often been used to differentiate those who are likely to be distracted. However, there are differing conclusions about demographic influences of distracted bicycling and even distraction's relationship itself to bicycle safety. This study observed bicyclist distraction and safety behaviors, along with possible demographic factors that could predict these behaviors. The authors observed cyclists on the Elizabeth River Trail, a bicyclist/pedestrian shared trail that covers 10.5 miles of an urban area. During data collection, observers collected data about the direction the cyclist was traveling, if they were with children, if they were wearing a helmet, if a distraction was present, and the type of distraction, if applicable (e.g., hand-held use of mobile phones, wearing headphones, eating, drinking). Observers also recorded participants' perceived sex and estimated age. Frequency analyses revealed that 55.4% of 426 cyclists were not helmeted and 30.0% were distracted. The most common distraction was wearing headphones (19.5% of total cyclists observed). No significant relationship was found between helmet use and distraction. Younger cyclists were more likely than older cyclists to not wear a helmet and be distracted. These findings show a high prevalence of behaviors that may impact safety on designated cycling paths. The significant number of cyclists without a helmet and being distracted should create concern for potential injury risks to bicyclists on trails being built within urban areas if those bicyclists were to crash. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perceived safety is recognized throughout the mode choice literature as a key barrier to cycling, yet its constructs are poorly understood. Although commonly understood to relate to crash and injury risk and sometimes vulnerability to crime, health impact assessments identify numerous other pathways through which cycling can negatively impact health. This study leverages a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults in 2022 to assess a set of eleven factors as potential components of perceived cycling safety. We use principal component analysis to identify components of perceived cycling safety and then employ principal component regression to assess these components in relation to predicting unsafe cycling perception. We identify five key dimensions of perceived safety. Specifically, we found that perceived bicycling safety can be encompassed in the following components: (1) contaminant exposure, (2) injurious collision risk, (3) street conditions, (4) weather conditions, and (5) crime risk. In evaluating each identified component, we found that injurious collision risk and street conditions were the most predictive of considering cycling as unsafe. We further develop an understanding of how differences in cycling behavior, such as using cycling for commuting purposes, may contribute to differences in how cycling safety components coalesce into perceived safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As more cities implement cycling infrastructure, there is a growing need to both learn best practices from other places through a detailed understanding of the lived and embodied experiences of cycling. However, this is rarely the case. On the one hand, planners and policymakers rely on incomplete (quantitative) data and policy tours that are unable to document the full extent of cycling or how it is experienced. While recent studies have expanded to include qualitative methods, they are predominantly conducted in one place, limiting our ability to draw international comparisons. The Netherlands is a popular destination for such tours and is generally regarded as one of the best places in the world for cycling. But what about people who, for a variety of reasons, have lived in different countries? Their knowledge, experiences and reflections on cycling are rarely featured in planning. To redress this, we interviewed participants who have international experience, capturing beyond aspects of policy tourism, illuminating how: (1) mixed land-use patterns, (2) incentivizing cycling as a mode choice, and (3) cycle networks and safety are vital to cycling participation. We advance the cycling research agenda by examining these findings and proposing changes best suited to lowcycling cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although oxygen redox in Li‐rich layered cathodes can boost the available capacity over 250 mAh g−1, it also brings a rapid capacity fade upon long‐term cycling and serious safety issue during thermal abuse. To circumvent these problems, an integrated strategy via interlayer regulation at surface and the delocalization of Li2MnO3‐like domain on bulk is proposed. The controllable interlayer by atomic layer deposition can maximize the coating effects on elimination of the lattice mismatch to inhibit the structural degradation during cycling. And the delocalized Li2MnO3‐like domain through compositional control can fully prohibit lattice oxygen release from the bulk to improve the thermal stability of electrode. The optimized cathode material exhibits a capacity retention of 94.0% after 200 cycles. A 1.25 Ah multilayer pouch cell with the cathode and graphite anode delivers an outstanding cycling performance that retains 80.4% of its capacity at 0.5 C after 710 cycles. More importantly, the distinguished safety features derived from the method are verified after successfully passing practical‐level thermal safety and nail penetration test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Molecular Science is the property of Journal of Molecular Science Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Bicycles are more difficult to control at low speeds due to the vehicle's unstable low- speed dynamics. This issue might be exacerbated by factors such as aging, disturbances, and multi-tasking. To address this issue, we developed a prototype 'balance assist system' with Royal Dutch Gazelle and Bosch eBike Systems at Delft University of Technology, which includes an electric motor capable of providing additional steering torque. We implemented a speed-adaptive feedback controller to generate the additional steering torque to that of the rider. We conducted a study with 18 older and 14 younger cyclists to first examine the effect of aging, disturbances, and multi-tasking on cycling at lower forward speeds, and evaluate the effectiveness of the system in improving the stability of the rider-bicycle system while facing these challenges. The study consisted of two scenarios: a single-task scenario where participants rode the bicycle on a marked narrow straight-line track, and a multi-task scenario where participants performed a shoulder check task and followed visual cues while tracking the straight-line. We introduced handlebar disturbances using the steer motor in half of the trials in both scenarios. All trials were repeated with and without the balance assist system. We calculated the bicycle mean magnitude of roll and steering rate--as indicators of bicycle balance control and required steering actions, respectively--and the rider's mean magnitude of lean rate with respect to the ground to investigate the effect of the balance assist system on rider's lateral motion. Our results showed that aging, disturbances, and multi-tasking increased the roll rate, and the balance assist system was able to significantly reduce it. The effect size of the balance assist system in reducing the roll rate across all conditions was found to be larger in older cyclists, indicating a more substantial impact compared to younger cyclists. Disturbances and multi-tasking increased the steering rate, which was successfully reduced by the balance assist system. Aging did not significantly affect the steering rate. The rider's lean rate was not significantly affected by age, disturbances, or the balance assist, indicating that the upper body plays a minor role when riders have good steering control authority. Overall, our findings suggest that lateral motion and required steering action can be affected by age, multi-tasking, and handlebar disturbances which can endanger cyclists' safety, and the balance assist system has the potential to improve cycling safety and reduce the incidence of single-actor crashes. Further investigation on riders' contribution to control actions is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following study aims to address the issue of cyclist training methodologies. Recent European bicycle accident statistics reveal a troubling upward trend. A potential solution to mitigate such incidents involves providing cyclists with comprehensive training encompassing traffic regulations and interactions with fellow road users. We conducted a comparative analysis of the cycling education approaches and cyclist training systems in several countries, including the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, England, Slovenia, Poland, and Italy. This analysis underscored the importance of standardizing training protocols and criteria across Europe. The training model should draw inspiration from countries with well-established cycling cultures and serve as a foundation for harmonizing training practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feeling safe is a major issue for cyclists, and some potential cyclists are still deterred from using the bicycle because they feel too unsafe. Assessing the subjective safety of existing cycling infrastructures and locations can be done by questionnaires that show pictures of infrastructures and ask participants for their safety ratings. However, future cycling infrastructures should also be evaluated as safe even before they are implemented. Therefore, it is desirable to have a method that is able to predict safety from infrastructural information. This study aims to propose two different ways for such a method and to test both ways in a use case. We first developed two scores, namely the Repertory Grid (RG) Score and the FixMyBerlin (FMB) Score, which predict subjective safety from objective environmental information but use different data bases and different methodologies. In a second step, we validated these scores by comparing them to questionnaire ratings that evaluated cyclists’ subjective safety at 20 locations in the city of Braunschweig, Germany. Finally, we compared the two scores as well as the questionnaire ratings with objective safety measures, namely crash statistics, at the respective locations. The results show that the RG Score has a moderate agreement and the FMB Score has a fair agreement with the questionnaire ratings. All methods agree on the overall safety evaluation of various cycling facilities. However, the RG Score showed less variance in the safety ratings, whereas the FMB Score rated most locations more unsafe than the participants in the questionnaire. Interestingly, neither the scores nor the questionnaire ratings could sufficiently deduce the occurrence of a crash at one of the locations. The findings strengthen the importance of subjective safety as a construct independent of objective safety. Furthermore, they provide insights into aspects of subjective safety that can easily be measured by objective scores, and into aspects that are important for cyclists but were not yet covered by the scores. This study, therefore, provides a basis for future considerations and future evaluation methods to assess the subjective safety of cyclists.

Despite the benefits of cycling being widely accepted, bicycle safety—especially severe injury—has received increasing attention due to the vulnerability of bicyclists on the road. Factors contributing to varying bicycle injury severity have been identified in the literature. For the zonal factors, variables related to sociodemographic and household characteristics, built environments, land use, and traffic conditions are considered. However, it is rare that the heterogeneity and hierarchal features of bicycle injury severity are simultaneously considered. This study contributes to the literature by investigating the heterogeneous effects of zonal factors on varying bicycle injury severity, using a 3-year crash data set from the Lower Layer Super Output Areas of London. A combination of latent class clustering and partial proportional odds methods was developed. First, five subgroups of bicycle crashes were identified based on the latent class clustering method. Afterward, partial proportional models were developed separately for different clusters. Results indicate that a series of factors is found to be associated with the occurrence of severe bicycle injuries. However, effects of these factors could be distinctive among different clusters. For example, some factors only have significant impacts in the specific crash clusters. Furthermore, heterogeneous effects of the same factors in one or different clusters are discovered. The findings of this study can be helpful for the development of cycle infrastructures, traffic management, and safety education that can enhance the risk perception of bicyclists and reduce the occurrence of severe bicycle injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The behaviour of drivers towards cyclists at junctions with priority for drivers was assessed. • The study was carried out through controlled cyclists' crossing of a designated intersection. • Just over half of the analysed drivers gave priority to cyclists despite not being obliged to do so. • Of the characteristics analysed, only the place of vehicle registration was statistically significant. The issue of the safety of vulnerable road users is particularly important at points of collision with other roads and road users. The most common solution at the intersection of a carriageway and a cycle path is a cycle crossing, with specific rules of priority for cyclists and drivers. However, the constantly increasing number of accidents involving cyclists prompts the creation of new and innovative solutions in infrastructure and traffic organisation. One novel solution in this respect takes the form of intersections of cycle paths with carriageways with traffic organisation that always gives priority to drivers, introduced in the city of Rybnik in Poland. The aim of the study is to analyse the behaviour of drivers at the intersection of the cycle path and the carriageway with signage indicating car priority in a situation when simultaneously a driver was coming along the carriageway and a cyclist was preparing to cross and crossed the intersection. The study took the form of a trial in which two cyclists—a man and a woman—negotiated the designated intersection in two directions. Drivers' decisions to give or not to give priority were analysed in the context of the cyclist's gender and direction of travel, as well as observable driver characteristics such as gender and residence based on the vehicle registration number. The study confirms that a significant number of drivers give priority to cyclists despite the rules at the intersection under study. However, no significant differences were found between the behaviour of female and male drivers. The study found that only one variable—place of vehicle registration—had a statistically significant relationship with giving priority to cyclists, contrary to the variables defining the gender of drivers and cyclists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Wool Textile Journal is the property of National Wool Textile Science & Technology Information Center and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The popularity of bicycles as a mode of transportation has been steadily increasing. However, concerns about cyclist safety persist due to a need for comprehensive data. This data scarcity hinders accurate assessment of bicycle safety and identification of factors that contribute to the occurrence and severity of bicycle collisions in urban environments. This paper presents the development of the BSafe-360, a novel multi-sensor device designed as a data acquisition system (DAS) for collecting naturalistic cycling data, which provides a high granularity of cyclist behavior and interactions with other road users. For the hardware component, the BSafe-360 utilizes a Raspberry Pi microcomputer, a Global Positioning System (GPS) antenna and receiver, two ultrasonic sensors, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), and a real-time clock (RTC), which are all housed within a customized bicycle phone case. To handle the software aspect, BSafe-360 has two Python scripts that manage data processing and storage in both local and online databases. To demonstrate the capabilities of the device, we conducted a proof of concept experiment, collecting data for seven hours. In addition to utilizing the BSafe-360, we included data from CCTV and weather information in the data analysis step for verifying the occurrence of critical events, ensuring comprehensive coverage of all relevant information. The combination of sensors within a single device enables the collection of crucial data for bicycle safety studies, including bicycle trajectory, lateral passing distance (LPD), and cyclist behavior. Our findings show that the BSafe-360 is a promising tool for collecting naturalistic cycling data, facilitating a deeper understanding of bicycle safety and improving it. By effectively improving bicycle safety, numerous benefits can be realized, including the potential to reduce bicycle injuries and fatalities to zero in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Working in nuclear cycle facilities such as nuclear power plants, fuel mining, milling and fabrication, waste management, and reprocessing facilities can pose various industrial health and safety risks to the workers due to hazardous processes and materials. Conventional or non (ionizing) radiation-related occupational health and safety (OHS) in nuclear facilities is a multidimensional area that involves hazard identification, protective measures, safety culture, emergency response, and workers' well-being. This article aims to highlight the International Atomic Energy Agency's perspective of OHS, the common conventional OHS hazards in nuclear cycle facilities, and the measures taken to mitigate risks from these hazards. By implementing comprehensive OHS management system, nuclear facilities can create an occupationally healthy and safe working environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The risk of older adults being injured or killed in a bicycle accident increases significantly due to the age-related decline of physical function. Therefore, targeted interventions for older adults to improve safe cycling competence (CC) are urgently needed. Methods The “Safer Cycling in Older Age” (SiFAr) randomized controlled trial investigated if a progressive multi-component training program related to cycling improves CC of older adults. Between June 2020 and May 2022, 127 community-dwelling persons living in the area Nürnberg-Fürth-Erlangen, Germany aged 65 years and older were recruited, who are either (1) beginners with the e-bike or (2) feeling self-reported unsteadiness when cycling or (3) uptaking cycling after a longer break. Participants were either randomized 1:1 to an intervention group (IG; cycling exercise program, 8 sessions within 3 months) or an active control group (aCG; health recommendations). The CC as primary outcome was tested not blinded in a standardized cycle course prior and after the intervention period and after 6–9 months, which consists of variant tasks requiring skills related to daily traffic situations. Regression analyses with difference of errors in the cycling course as dependent variable and group as independent variable adjusted for covariates (gender, number of errors at baseline, bicycle type, age and cycled distance) were performed. Results 96 participants (73.4 ± 5.1 years; 59.4% female) were analyzed for primary outcome. Compared to the aCG (n = 49), the IG (n = 47) made an average of 2.37 fewer errors in the cycle course after the 3 months intervention period (p = 0.004). People with more errors at baseline had higher potential for improvement (B=-0.38; p

• The bicycle fall-over experiments and numerical simulations, with a 3-year-old child dummy in a bicycle seat, enabled the authors to have an insight into the child's kinematics, head accelerations and neck bending. • We highlighted the importance of neck bending injuries during bicycle fall over, which are often neglected in the vulnerable road user safety assessment. • We concluded that assessing only the acceleration of the head and the head injury criterion (HIC) values may lead to false and even hazardous decisions of not wearing a helmet. Introduction : The paper addresses an important accident type that involves children in bicycle seats – the bicycle fall over. It is a significant and common accident type and many parents have been reported to experience this type of "close call." The fall over occurs at low velocities and even while a bicycle is standing still, and may result from a split-second lack of attention on behalf of the accompanying adult (e.g. while loading groceries, i.e. while not being exposed to traffic per se). Moreover, irrespective of the low velocities involved, the trauma that may result to the head of the child is considerable and may be life-threatening, as shown in the study. Method: The paper presents two methods to address this accident scenario in a quantitative way: in-situ accelerometer-based measurement and numerical modeling approaches. It is shown that the methods produce consistent results under the prerequisites of the study. They are therefore promising methods to be used in the study of this type of accident. Results: The importanance of the protective role of a child helmet is without discussion in everyday traffic. However, this study draws attention to one particular effect observed in this accident type: that the geometry of the helmet may at times expose the child's head to considerably larger forces, by having contact with the ground. The study also highlights the importance of neck bending injuries during bicycle fall over, which are often neglected in the safety assessment – not only for children in bicycle seats. The study concludes that considering only head acceleration may lead to biased conclusions about using helmets as protective devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Summary Points: Aim: To explore characteristics of community-dwelling cyclists aged 65 years and older with a self-perceived need to increase cycling competence. Findings: The majority (68%) of this collective reported being unsafe when cycling and 41% had a bicycle fall in the past year. More than half of the participants showed at least one limitation in each of the measured cycling skills required for safe cycling. Message: Knowledge about cycling behavior, bicycle type and cycling competence of older cyclists facilitates the planning of intervention programs and road safety campaigns to prevent mobility losses and accidents. Background: Older cyclists are in great risk of being injured or killed in a traffic-related accident and their needs should find more consideration in safety guidelines, urban planning, and future intervention programs. Objective: The aim for this cross-sectional analysis was to comprehensively explore characteristics of community-dwelling cyclists aged 65 years and older with a self-perceived need to increase cycle competence. Methods: 118 older adults (mean age 73.3 ± 5.2 years, 61% women) performed a standardized cycle course representing specific cycling skills. Additionally, health and functional assessments were carried out and characteristics regarding demographic, health, falls, bicycle equipment/type and cycling biography/behavior were obtained. Results: The majority (67.8%) of this community-dwelling adults reported being unsafe when cycling and 41.3% had a bicycle fall in the past year. More than half of the participants showed at least one limitation in each of the measured cycling skills. Women significantly had more frequent limitations in four of the cycling skills measured (p ≤ 0.001) compared to men. While no significant differences were found for falls, health and functional characteristics, women and men differed significantly in terms of bicycle type, equipment, and perceived safety (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Limitations in cycling should be compensated by preventive bicycle training and a safe cycling infrastructure. Bicycle fit, the wearing of bicycle helmets and promotion of a sense of security while cycling can further reduce accident risk and must find recognition in safety guidelines. In addition, educational initiatives have to dismantle gender-related bicycle stereotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to understand how self-assessed health status relates to preferences for cycling infrastructure. An integrated latent class and latent variable choice model is fitted using responses to a stated preference experiment from a panel of New York City residents (N = 801). Estimates show that people with stated good physical health tend to have preference parameters similar to those of experienced cyclists. This result means that the provision of cycling infrastructure with the purpose of attracting non-cyclists also has the potential of attracting those with worse health outcomes. This result suggests a double benefit coming from car use reduction and lower health spending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cycling can bring a wide range of social, economic, and health benefits to individuals and communities. The safety and efficiency of bicycle facilities can be significantly impacted by the interactions among riders. This study aims to examine the microscopic characteristics of how cyclists interact with each other when they are in a single file movement based on the trajectory data collected from an experiment. Reaction delay was obtained by optimizing the correlation between relative speed and acceleration curves for individual cyclists and it was found that even for a given cyclist, this characteristic time delay could vary considerably, and be situation-dependent. Furthermore, it was found that the distribution of reaction delay, which has an average (±SD) of 0.66 s (±0.33 s), followed a log-normal distribution. The strong correlation observed between relative speed and time-delayed acceleration resembles the behavior observed in car-following situations, highlighting that relative speed is an essential factor influencing the acceleration behavior of cyclists. Multiple linear regression models were used to understand the association between acceleration and other key microscopic variables, e.g., spacing and relative speed, which are commonly used in microscopic behavior models. While the spacing between cyclists was found to have a significant impact on acceleration behavior, its effect was not as significant as that of relative speed. The outcomes of this study provide valuable insights into the cyclists' behavior and can aid in the development of microscopic simulation models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality (VR) offers an interactive and more engaging setting for studying hazard anticipation and anticipation in child cyclists who have a considerably higher risk for being involved in a traffic accident. Yet, reliability, validity and usability of VR for scientific purposes remain poorly documented. With the long-term goal in mind of developing fun and interactive training programmes, this study intends to test the effectiveness of a novel VR tool to promote cycling safety in children. A virtual traffic environment that reflects a typical Belgian city was created in Unity3D. Children (n = 130; 11.37 ± 0.54 years old; 92 girls and 38 boys), equipped with a HTC Vive, cycled on an instrumented bicycle through the virtual environment (VE) in which they had to negotiate 14 hazards in a safe manner. Participants' speed and braking responses for the hazards were reported, while eye movements were recorded by means of the Pupil Labs eye tracking VR add-ons. Following the hazard anticipation test, children were questioned regarding perceived realism, simulator sickness and risky behaviours. After 4 weeks, 15 children performed the VR hazard anticipation test a second time. With respect to validity of the VR simulator, the results demonstrate that the overt hazards were fixated (p = 0.044) and braked for (p < 0.001) more, and fixated (p < 0.001) and braked for earlier (p < 0.001) compared to the covert hazards, which provides evidence for content validity of the VR simulator. The (weak) association between temperamental traits such as "errors and violations" and speed supports convergent validity. Furthermore, participants rated the VE as realistic to highly realistic which reflects face validity. Intraclass correlations suggest moderate test–retest reliability for all variables except first fixation rate. To improve ecological validity of hazard anticipation testing in cyclists, this study allowed the participants to cycle and fully interact with the VE. We found that the simulator provides a fun and realistic tool to document hazard anticipation skills in child bicyclists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A driving simulator is validated using observed data on a rural road with cyclists. • Average travel speed is similar comparing the observations and the simulator. • Lateral clearances in the simulator were higher, but not significantly different. • Subjective validation was achieved, with a high degree of realism. Driving simulator is a useful tool for obtaining data on driver behaviour efficiently and quickly. However, to ensure the reliability of the data gathered by the simulator, it is necessary to check the differences between drivers' behaviour in the simulator and in reality. In this study, an existing two-lane rural road was replicated on the driving simulator under the same traffic conditions of groups of cyclists and oncoming motorised vehicles. For this purpose, a naturalistic field data collection was developed on the real road using instrumented bicycles and static video recordings. A total of 30 volunteers participated in the driving simulator tests. The objective validation of the driving simulator was based on three operational variables: average travel speed, overtaking vehicle speed, and lateral clearance. As a result, higher average travel speeds and lower lateral clearances were obtained in the real world compared to those observed in the simulator. It was also found that overtaking vehicle speed depends on the group of cyclists. Overall, the data obtained in the field and in the driving simulator did not present statistically significant differences. The analysis of drivers' perception in the simulator tests concluded that the simulator reflected reality in an accurate way, achieving the subjective validation of the driving simulator. Thus, this study validates the driving simulator for bicycle safety research on rural roads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New technologies are gaining ground in various disciplines, and road safety is not an exception. The objective of this paper is twofold: (1) to review the state-of-the-art technologies implemented in bicycles to improve cyclists' safety, and (2) to propose a classification for the levels of smartness of emerging "smart bikes". This paper defines six levels of smartness for bicycles based on their functionality and evaluates the Technology Readiness Levels of bicycle technologies. Furthermore, areas for future research were identified and discussed. To achieve these, we conducted a literature review which employed two academic databases –Scopus and Web of Science– and the Google Scholar search engine, following the framework of the systematic literature review methodology for the search and selection process. A total of 36 studies that met the inclusion criteria were investigated. The majority of these studies focus on warning systems aiming to forestall an imminent collision, mostly by using accelerometers/gyroscopes, LIDAR, sensors and networking communication. These systems, despite their preliminary state, demonstrate a positive effect on cyclists' safety. The review concludes that there is a need for further deployment and testing of such systems with field trials to gain concrete evidence regarding their impact on cyclists' safety. It also highlights that advanced technologies are scarcely implemented in bicycles and that most smart bicycle systems are based on smartphones. Thus, the question is: what lies in the future of smart bicycles from today's perspective? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the safety issue for cyclists and pedestrians at unsignalized intersections. The cycling speed needs to be calmed when approaching the intersection. This study proposes and deploys an integrated portable ultra-wideband/inertial navigation system (UWB/INS) to extract cycling trajectories for a cycling safety study. The system is based on open-source hardware and delivers an open-source code for an adaptive Kalman filter to enhance positioning precision for data quality assurance at an outdoor experimental site. The results demonstrate that the system can deliver reliable trajectories for low-mobility objects. To mitigate accident risk and severity, varied cycling speed calming measures are tested at an experimental site. Based on the trajectory data, the statistical features of cycling velocities are evaluated and compared. A new proposed geometric design is found to be most effective when compared with conventional traffic signs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Goal: Understand perceptions of comfort among bicyclists regarding roundabouts. • Presented 568 US adult bicyclists with renderings of a hypothetical roundabout. • Analysis: Ordered probit regression models of comfort (overall, 5 situations). • Overall: Almost a third (29%) of current cyclists are somewhat or very uncomfortable. • Situations: More comfortable entering/exiting; less comfortable on/in sidewalk/crosswalk. As roundabouts replace traditional intersections, there are concerns regarding the safety of roundabouts for bicycling. Given the limitations of crash data, this study informs an understanding of bicycle safety at roundabouts in the US through an analysis of cyclists' perceptions of comfort regarding different roundabout design and operational attributes and different bicycling situations (e.g., entering, exiting, circulating) at roundabouts. In an online questionnaire, we presented 568 US adult bicyclists with renderings of a hypothetical roundabout and asked a series of questions about perceived comfort. We then used an integrated set of ordered probit regression models to analyze comfort outcomes (overall and in five situations) against roundabout attributes, while controlling for personal socio-demographics and cycling characteristics (including type of cyclist). Although most current cyclists (71%) reported some degree of comfort bicycling at roundabouts, around a third (29%) felt somewhat or very uncomfortable. Roundabouts perceived to be more comfortable for bicycling had: one (rather than two) lanes, lower traffic volumes, more bicycle facilities-especially separated bicycle lanes (a "protected roundabout")-and a larger central island. The most comfortable situations were entering and exiting the roundabout, while the least comfortable situations were riding on the sidewalk or in the crosswalk. Circulating within the roundabout was the situation rated most similar to ratings of overall comfort. "Strong and fearless" cyclists were generally more comfortable at roundabouts than "interested but concerned" cyclists, except for sidewalk riding. These results offer implications for how to make roundabouts more comfortable for people bicycling of all abilities and levels of confidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cycling activity features green, low-carbon, energy-saving, and zero-emission characteristics, it is becoming a popular leisure activity in people's daily lives. Compared with the riding lanes within the city, coastal roads are more attractive to cyclists. However, there is less research regarding the coastal riding environment, and it was important to investigate the attitudes of cyclists toward the existing coastal lanes. This study evaluated and optimized coastal cycling environment in Qingdao city, China. Firstly, a questionnaire survey was carried out, 22 elements related to evaluation of cycling environment were selected, focusing on the basic information of cyclists, and their attitudes to the importance and satisfaction of evaluation elements. Secondly, we applied the Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) to obtain the coastal road environmental elements that needed to be prioritized for improving cycling conditions. Results found that there existed great differences in the lighting conditions of the road section, most of the factors that fell within the interval of high importance-low satisfaction, which was highly related to security, the importance of parking facilities was relatively high. To promote the popularity of bicycle ride along the coastal roads, it is essential to pay attention to improving cycling safety at the design stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intersection of media, public opinion, politics, and their relationship with public policy is well documented. Taking the issue of active transportation, we examine if media narratives on bicycle and pedestrian crashes appear important in shaping policy. We define positive and negative narratives portraying bicyclists and pedestrians as victims and villains respectively. Our research objective is to understand if media narratives have an effect on the policy tools used by decision-makers to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety. We examine if there is a relationship between the victim versus villain narrative and policy change at the state level. Using a mixed-methods research design, we analyze publication reports on crashes collected from 12 states for the period 2003–2015. We find that the victim narrative remains more prevalent in crash reporting, and the probability of policy change has a positive relationship with crash reporting rate. Greater salience of the issue in media reporting may influence increased policy change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined whether differentiated ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) (local; RPEL and central; RPEC) and overall RPE (RPEO) were different between exercise modes (upper- versus lower body) and/or changed after upper body training, providing relevant input for upper body exercise prescription/regulation. Eight rowers completed an incremental cycling test (CY), and incremental handcycle (HC) tests before (HCpre) and after three weeks of handcycle training (HCpost). RPEc was higher during CY (17.4±2.4) compared to HCpost (15.9±1.9). However, RPEo was higher during HCpost (9.1±0.6) compared to CY (8.3±1.1). During the HC tests, RPEL was consistently higher than RPEO at the same PO. Training resulted in higher RPEc (HCpre: 14.6±2.6; HCpost: 15.9±1.9) and RPEo (HCpre: 7.9±0.9; HCpost: 9.1±0.6). No differences were found for RPEL between CY and HCpost (8.7±1.1; 9.3±0.4) and after HC training (HCpre: 9.1±1.0; HCpost: 9.3±0.4). At the point of exhaustion, RPEc was higher in CY than during HCpre and HCpost, suggesting RPEC is not causing exercise termination in HC. Furthermore, RPEL is perceived higher than RPEO during all stages of the incremental HC tests compared to CY. This suggests that in contrast to cycling, local factors during arm work are perceived more strongly than central or overall cues of exertion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]