Cycling more for safer cycling

Abstract

Cycling presents a lot of benefits to the individual and to society. Health, environment, accessibility, local businesses, … all gain when more people cycle. Yet many governments are reluctant when it comes to promoting cycling, mainly because of (perceived) safety issues. Since studies have established a clear and consistent relationship between bicycle use and cyclist accident risk, this lack of bicycle promotion will influence the safety outcome of bicyclists. In this paper the relation between bicycle use and cyclist safety will be described on different levels of aggregation. Secondly its consequences on road safety will be discussed.