Safety benefits of cycling infrastructure reviewed

man on a pushbike image

SWOV, the Dutch scientific institute for road safety research, has conducted a review of different aspects of cycling infrastructure and their contribution to the risk of bicycle crashes.
    The analysis covers infrastructure including road sections, intersections and roundabouts, with researchers reviewing both Dutch and international studies that use a bicycle crash risk indicator as an outcome measure. Conclusions include: intersections are more dangerous than road sections; two-lane roundabouts increase the risk of a bicycle crash; and roundabouts are safer when vehicles have priority.
    Cycling is promoted as a healthy and sustainable means of transport but there are traffic safety concerns, which the researchers behind this review say emphasise the significant need for more research in this area.