Sharing the Road: Communities Try New Ways to Improve Bicyclist Safety

This article outlines strategies that communities are using to improve safety for bicyclists who share the road with motorized users. Cities are using a variety of approaches, including bike lanes, cycle tracks, shared lane markings, bike boulevards, and bike boxes. The author reviews the statistics regarding bicycle travel in the United States, including injuries and fatalities among bicyclists. The following section reviews some of the benefits and drawbacks of bicycle lanes, including the need to protect bicyclists from parked car doors opening into the bike lane as well as the need for pavement maintenance for bike lanes. One feature that can be added to bike lanes to improve intersection safety is the bike box, a special section for bikes to stop at a red light. Bike boxes make bicyclists more visible and improved yielding behavior on the part of automobile drivers. A final section reviews some of the innovations that can be implemented beyond the basics of good bike lanes. The author concludes by emphasizing the importance of bicycle helmets and reflective clothing. Readers are referred to a full article on the topic, available at publications@iihs.org (Williams).

Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0018988X
Publication Date: 2013-1-24

Language

English

Media Info

Media Type: Print
Features: Figures; Photos;
Pagination: pp 1-4
Serial:
- Status Report
- Volume: 48
- Issue Number: 1
- Publisher: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
- ISSN: 0018-988X
- Serial URL: http://www.iihs.org/iihs/sr

Subject/Index Terms

TRT Terms: Bicycle helmets; Bicycle lanes; Bicycling; Crash injuries; Cyclists; Fatalities; Highway safety; Pavement maintenance; Signalized intersections
Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor; I84: Personal Injuries; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

Accession Number: 01492211
Record Type: Publication
Files: TRIS
Created Date: Aug 22 2013 8:04PM