Health Road Safety
“Conflicts between cyclists and pedestrians must not be resolved by ringing the bell.”
As of: 6:28 p.m. | Reading time: 3 minutes
Accident researchers demand that pedestrian zones should not be opened to bicycle traffic
What: obs
In accidents involving cyclists, pedestrians usually lose out: This often leads to serious injuries and sometimes results in death. Accident researchers are now calling for uncomfortable measures to protect pedestrians.
The cargo bike collides with the pedestrian almost silently. The driver of the bike hits his head on the asphalt. The pedestrian also ends up with his head on the ground. The force of the impact caused by the heavy equipment probably caused several broken legs and ankles.
At least that’s what Siegfried Brockmann suspects after the crash test on Thursday in Münster. With the experiment, the insurer’s head of accident research showed what can happen when a walking pedestrian and a cyclist traveling at around 24 kilometers per hour collide.
When you talk about the risk of accidents on the road, you primarily think of cars and trucks, which repeatedly hit pedestrians and cyclists and often seriously injure or kill them. In a new study, the accident researcher aims to draw attention to accidents between cyclists and pedestrians.
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Brockmann and his team evaluated the accidents in Germany in 2022 that involved cyclists and pedestrians. 711 people were seriously injured and 13 died.
Brockmann particularly appeals to cyclists to be more considerate, also with a view to the coming years: He assumes that the number of these accidents will continue to grow dynamically.
“Bicycles are increasing significantly in number and mileage, and with e-bikes and cargo bikes they are also becoming faster and heavier,” said Brockmann. On the other hand, the population is getting older and older. Therefore, countermeasures must now be taken quickly and energetically.
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Most of the accidents analyzed occurred on the cycle path (54 percent), followed by cycle paths in pedestrian zones (22), sidewalks (16) and common areas (8). According to Brockmann, problems often arise when pedestrians unexpectedly step onto areas intended for cycling.
According to Brockmann, the main accident areas are pedestrian zones and bus stop areas. What is striking is that the narrower the cycle path, the greater the likelihood of an accident. The researchers are therefore calling for these points to be taken into account when planning the infrastructure and for pedestrian zones to generally not be opened up to cyclists.
In many cases, according to the study, parked cars are also a problem. Brockmann demands that the parking areas here must be removed if there is an increase in accidents. In Brockmann’s opinion, there should no longer be pedestrian zones open to cyclists.
The researcher advises against two-way cycle paths
Source: dpa
Here it is unrealistic that cyclists would also observe the required consideration. He also advises against cycle paths in which cyclists are allowed to cycle in both directions: “Two-way cycle paths are the devil.”
However, the current poor infrastructure in Germany is fundamentally “not an excuse” for the accident researcher. “Where the conflict between cyclists and pedestrians is recognizable and expected, I can expect that the problem will not be solved with the bell,” said Brockmann. “Cyclists and pedestrians are not in the same boat.” He does not agree with the behavior of many cyclists.
The cycling association ADFC sees the infrastructure as a major problem; the roads are not at all prepared for the growing bicycle traffic. “Good cycle paths are missing everywhere. What we find is a confusing and sometimes dangerous patchwork of solutions. Cycle paths are often much too narrow, parked and dangerous,” said ADFC spokeswoman Stephanie Krone after the study was published on Thursday – and called for protected space for cycling.
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Increase in fatal accidents
She also said: “Incidentally, numerous accidents also occur because pedestrians enter cycle paths or roadways without looking around.” She promoted looking over the shoulder. “Only cars can be recognized by the approaching noise, whereas cyclists travel quietly.”
She added that cyclists should also show special consideration for pedestrians. Especially when infrastructure conditions are poor, all road users must adhere to the rules.
Incidentally, Brockmann assumes that the number of accidents is high. In contrast to car accidents, where the police are usually called in because of insurance, accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians often go unreported.
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