Laurie Brown1, Andrew Morris2, Pete Thomas2, Karthikeyan Ekambaram2, Dimitris Margaritis3, Ragnhild Davidse4, Davide Shingo Usami5, Massimo Robibaro5, Luca Persia5, Ilona Buttler6, Apostolos Ziakopoulos7, Athanasios Theofilatos7, George Yannis7, Alain Martin8, Fallou Wadji8. 1. Transport Safety Research Centre, Loughborough Design School, Loughborough University, Epinal Way, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU, UK. Electronic address: l.a.brown2@lboro.ac.uk. 2. Transport Safety Research Centre, Loughborough Design School, Loughborough University, Epinal Way, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU, UK. 3. Hellenic Institute of Transport, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH), 6th Km Charilaou - Thermi R, Thermi, Thessaloniki, Macedonia 57001, Greece. 4. SWOV Institute for Road Safety Research, PO Box 93113, 2509 AC Den Haag, The Netherlands. 5. Centro di Ricerca per il Trasporto e la Logistica (CTL), Sapienza Università di Roma, Via Eudossiana, 18, 00184 Roma, Italy. 6. Motor Transport Institute (ITS), 80 Jagiellońska Str., 03-301 Warsaw, Poland. 7. National Technical University of Athens, Department of Transportation Planning and Engineering, 5 Heroon Polytechniou Str., GR-15773 Zografou, Athens, Greece. 8. European Centre for Safety Studies and Risk Analysis (CEESAR), 132 rue des Suisses, 92000 Nanterre, France.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The number of road fatalities have been falling throughout the European Union (EU) over the past 20 years and most Member States have achieved an overall reduction. Research has mainly focused on protecting car occupants, with car occupant fatalities reducing significantly. However, recently there has been a plateauing in fatalities amongst 'Vulnerable Road Users' (VRUs), and in 2016 accidents involving VRUs accounted for nearly half of all EU road deaths. METHOD: The SaferWheels study collected in-depth data on 500 accidents involving Powered Two-Wheelers (PTWs) and bicycles across six European countries. A standard in-depth accident investigation methodology was used by each team. The Driver Reliability and Error Analysis Method (DREAM) was used to systematically classify accident causation factors. RESULTS: The most common causal factors related to errors in observation by the PTW/bicycle rider or the driver of the other vehicle, typically called 'looked but failed to see' accidents. Common scenarios involved the other vehicle turning or crossing in front of the PTW/bicycle. A quarter of serious or fatal injuries to PTW riders occurred in accidents where the rider lost control with no other vehicle involvement. CONCLUSIONS: Highly detailed data have been collected for 500 accidents involving PTWs or bicycles in the EU. These data can be further analyzed by researchers on a case-study basis to gain detailed insights on such accidents. Preliminary analysis suggests that 'looked but failed to see' remains a common cause, and in many cases the actions of the other vehicle were the critical factor, though PTW rider speed or inexperience played a role in some cases. Practical Applications: The collected data can be analyzed to better understand the characteristics and causes of accidents involving PTWs and bicycles in the EU. The results can be used to develop policies aimed at reducing road deaths and injuries to VRUs.
INTRODUCTION: The number of road fatalities have been falling throughout the European Union (EU) over the past 20 years and most Member States have achieved an overall reduction. Research has mainly focused on protecting car occupants, with car occupant fatalities reducing significantly. However, recently there has been a plateauing in fatalities amongst 'Vulnerable Road Users' (VRUs), and in 2016 accidents involving VRUs accounted for nearly half of all EU road deaths. METHOD: The SaferWheels study collected in-depth data on 500 accidents involving Powered Two-Wheelers (PTWs) and bicycles across six European countries. A standard in-depth accident investigation methodology was used by each team. The Driver Reliability and Error Analysis Method (DREAM) was used to systematically classify accident causation factors. RESULTS: The most common causal factors related to errors in observation by the PTW/bicycle rider or the driver of the other vehicle, typically called 'looked but failed to see' accidents. Common scenarios involved the other vehicle turning or crossing in front of the PTW/bicycle. A quarter of serious or fatal injuries to PTW riders occurred in accidents where the rider lost control with no other vehicle involvement. CONCLUSIONS: Highly detailed data have been collected for 500 accidents involving PTWs or bicycles in the EU. These data can be further analyzed by researchers on a case-study basis to gain detailed insights on such accidents. Preliminary analysis suggests that 'looked but failed to see' remains a common cause, and in many cases the actions of the other vehicle were the critical factor, though PTW rider speed or inexperience played a role in some cases. Practical Applications: The collected data can be analyzed to better understand the characteristics and causes of accidents involving PTWs and bicycles in the EU. The results can be used to develop policies aimed at reducing road deaths and injuries to VRUs.