Are you worried that riding a bike to work makes you more prone to accidents? You might be right, but that is only if you are the sole biker on the road. According to a team of researchers from University of Colorado Denver, the more bikers on the road, the slimmer the chance of car-bike collisions.
To test their hypothesis, Wesley Marshall, an assistant professor of civil engineering, and his team, decided to analyse the relationship between number of cyclists and number of accidents that have occurred in the city of Boulder- the place with the highest percentage of cyclists in the U.S. The aim was to develop a mathematical model that can aid city planners to accommodate bike-friendly infrastructure and regulations.
The results published in the journal of Accident Analysis & Prevention indicate that road intersections that were crossed by more than 200 cyclists per day, were the ones with the fewest accidents. The researchers were unable to explain the trend, but they say it could be because being one of many reduces your chances of being hit, or simply because a big group is much easier to spot than a single cyclist on the road. As part of their future research plans, the team will try to explain exactly what is hidden behind the findings.
As the number of people leaving the cars behind and jumping on bikes has increased dramatically over the past decade, it is great to see that researchers and city officials are now working together to improve safety and provide the most comfortable conditions on the roads. Bicycles are really perfect- not only the allow people to forget about traffic jams and expensive parking, but they are also great for the environment and great for your health. The price you pay is one-off and then you only experience benefits. Let’s hope that more and more people realize the greatness of the two-wheelers.
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