Bicycle Safety: What should we Teach Children?, 2018

(2018) Bicycle Safety: What should we Teach Children?, 2018. Public Health, Department of (Health and Human Services, Department of)

Preview

PDF mv prev_ bicycle_safety.pdf File Size:2MB

Abstract

Motor vehicle traffic volume and speed are critical contextual considerations for bicyclist and pedestrian safety and comfort. Proximity to motor vehicle traffic is a significant source of stress, safety risks, and discomfort for bicyclists, and corresponds with sharp rises in crash severity and fatality risks for vulnerable users when motor vehicle speeds exceed 25 miles per hour. Furthermore, as motorized traffic volumes increase, it becomes increasingly difficult for motorists and bicyclists to share roadway space. Two tools are provided to help planners and engineers determine appropriate types of bicycle and pedestrian accommodations for any given context. The first tool is a pair of bicycle facility selection matrices that provide guidance on selecting an appropriate facility type based on posted speed limit, traffic volume, and context. The second tool is a table of context characteristics of common facility types (Table 4.2), which summarizes various attributes of the primary bicycle and pedestrian facility types used in Iowa and provides additional guidance on facility selection.