According to numerous Flemish pilot schemes, drones can be used to assess dangerous traffic conditions and aid cyclists on their journeys. The concept is accurate, cheap and fast and a notable step forward.
The research was first reported upon by HLN’s daily newspaper, VeloVeilig Vlaanderen, in collaboration with VTM Nieuws. Their audiences were asked to supply information on dangerous cycling situations, and this was assessed in line with government directions into ways to tackle any problems. The Mobility Innovative Approach was introduced whereby drones were launched to map the problem areas.
The drones took to the sky for an hour during the morning and evening rush hours, supplying images from a height of approximately 70 metres. Researchers have been able to accurately analyse the images from the drones, thanks to developed software that can distinguish between pedestrians, cyclists, cars, trucks and buses and determine their position and speed. Movements of each are relayed as coloured lines that supply accurate logistics data.
Tom Brijs, traffic expert at Hasselt University and part of the research team, commented, “Thanks to the drone images, we discovered, among other things, that in the morning almost 40 percent of the drivers drove faster than the permitted speed of 30 kilometres per hour, in the afternoon this was even 63 percent. We could also see that a striking number of children run across the street in a place that is not actually a crossing, and that they cycle on the footpath.”
This particular data led to changes in the crossing site for children and serves as a positive example of the research’s benefits.
Guidance set out for e-scooters and their riders including speed restrictions, age limits, and anti-tampering measurements
Brussels and London – A 20 km/h factory-set speed limit, larger wheels, a ban on passengers and pavement riding, compulsory helmets and a minimum age of 16. These are some of the recommendations set out in a new report on safer technical standards for e-scooters and safer e-scooter usage rules in Europe, published by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) and the UK Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS).
The report is in response to the rapid growth of e-scooter usage over the last five years, and an associated increase in deaths and serious injuries. It takes into account a wide body of available data, hospital studies, vehicle safety testing and research from across Europe and beyond.
The regulatory picture for e-scooters is currently mixed with considerable variations across Europe in rules on minimum age, maximum power and speed, use of helmets and other aspects. The report authors would like to see common technical standards for e-scooters and recommendations for their use harmonised as far as possible.
Among the recommendations from ETSC and PACTS are:
A minimum rider age of 16, or an age limit aligned with the minimum age for riding a moped;
Mandatory helmets, aligned with current rules in Denmark, Finland, Greece and Spain. Seven other
European countries require children to wear helmets;
A ban on riding with passengers, on pavements, while using a handheld mobile phone and under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
A factory-set speed limit of 20 km/h, aligned with current rules in Denmark, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland as well as a 250W power limit;
Anti-tampering measures to prevent use at unsafe speeds;
A minimum wheel size of 30.5 cm;
Independent front and rear brakes, lights, indicators, and an audible warning device.
While the report itself is limited to technical requirements and rules for riders, ETSC points out that many of its existing recommendations for safety improvements for vulnerable road users, such as 30 km/h speed limits, separated networks of cycle lanes, low traffic zones and higher levels of enforcement, will benefit all road users, including e-scooter users.
Commenting on the publication of the report, Antonio Avenoso, Executive Director of the European Transport Safety Council said:
“E-scooters are now a common sight in European cities, but sadly so too are seriously injured e-scooter riders in hospitals. To break the link between the increased numbers of these vehicles, and the increased numbers of injuries, we need some sensible measures to keep riders and other road users safe.
“E-scooters can play a role in sustainable cities of the future, which must prioritise the safety of vulnerable road users, using modes of transport that are much less risky to other road users than cars, vans and lorries.”
“So while we think e-scooters should go at a safe speed, and their riders should wear helmets, it is also the responsibility of cities to put in place the kind of safe road environment, with a network of separate cycle lanes, and appropriate speed limits, that is essential to greater safety for all.”
PACTS Executive Director David Davies said:
“We are very pleased to work with ETSC on this report. E-scooters are a new mobility option in cities across Europe. In many countries, regulations are still catching up. PACTS and ETSC have set out the main safety implications for riders and pedestrians and the basic regulations needed for safe use.”
Micro-mobility for Europe (MMfE), the EU association for shared micromobility providers, has released a first-of-its-kind factsheet on incident data.
The factsheet (accessible here) combines incident data from the association’s six founding members: Bird, Bolt, Dott, Lime, Tier, and Voi. The association shared, “Our goal is to shed light on the debate around shared e-scooters safety by providing data in a transparent manner on the volume, severity of incidents, and their implications on the safety of road users. Ultimately, we hope these insights will help inform conversations and road safety policies in the EU that reduce incident risks for vulnerable road users, such as shared micro-mobility riders, and we are committed to continuing working closely with authorities to do so.“
Key findings, based on 240 million shared e-scooter trips:
When comparing 2021 to 2019, the risk of incidents that require medical attention has reduced by 60%.
In 2021, 5.1 injuries per million km travelled required medical assistance.
Fatality rates on shared e-scooters are thought to be about half those of private e-scooters.
Cyclists and shared e-scooter riders have a similar risk of fatal incidents. Shared e-scooter rider fatality risk is 20 times lower than that of moped riders.
The fatality risk for shared e-scooter use is 0.015 per 1 million km ridden.
The factsheet makes a range of recommendations aimed at improving road safety for vulnerable users, including shared e-scooter riders. It is recommended that there is an investment in safe infrastructure; that e-scooter riders are acknowledged as vulnerable road users; that there is further enforcement of traffic rules by local authorities; and that incident reporting standards are harmonised across Europe.
The number of e-scooters in the city centre will be severely restricted, parking rules will be updated, and speed limits will be reduced in this major regulation shift
The new regulations are set to come into effect in May 2023, while the local council will vote on the package of measures in December. This policy change has come about following the increase from 2018-2021 in both e-scooter-related injuries (1,025 to 2,560) and deaths (17 to 24). Many of the incoming regulations will therefore focus on improving safety for both riders and pedestrians.
The expected changes can be grouped into three main categories:
City centre e-Scooter distribution
Perhaps the largest policy change regards a proposed restriction of max. 500 e-scooters in the city centre at any given time; this is extremely restrictive when considering the current average of approx. 1,500. According to City Councilor for Mobility, Ulli Sima, this type of mobility is very useful for last-leg journeys and authorities are trying to position them in metro stops in residential areas and push ride-sharing providers to cover more parts of the city.
e-Scooter parking regulation
A further key policy change is to ban the parking of e-scooters on sidewalks. Currently, sidewalk usage as a parking location is reducing pedestrianised space to the detriment of other city-goers. To combat this, the city will create special parking zones and rely upon micromobility providers to enforce suitable parking amongst their riders. Repeat violations of parking policy may result in the micromobility provider having its operating license revoked.
Riding restrictions
Finally, who can use the devices, and the way in which they can ride will be altered. Riding speed is set to be reduced from 25 km/h to 20km/h, while a minimum age limit of 12 years will be imposed. It is worth noting that this is significantly lower than the age limit seen in many other European countries (Germany = 14, UK = 17).
As the usage of both e-bikes and conventional bikes increases, so does the number of bicycle-related injuries. New research explores whether e-bikes hold a larger share of facial injuries after an incident.
Researchers at the Groningen University Medical Centre explored the nature of cycling-related facial injuries (maxillofacial fractures) and whether there are differences between those experienced by e-bike users or regular cyclists. The recently released paper will assist in emergency room injury treatment.
311 patients were examined across 4 hospitals for the presence and severity of injury between May 2018 and October 2012. Of these patients, 73 were riders of e-bikes, and a range of other factors such as age and alcohol consumption were taken into consideration. In the sample, it appeared that e-bike riders more often suffered fractures to the centre of the face, while jaw fractures and serious dental injuries were more common for conventional cyclists.
However, when results were corrected in line with additional factors, the conclusion was that patient-specific characteristics, such as age, alcohol use, and comorbidities (the simultaneous presence of two or more medical conditions), may have a greater influence on a rider sustaining maxillofacial fractures than the type of bicycle ridden.
Based on the results, the researchers see reason to promote the use of bicycle helmets among the elderly and vulnerable cyclists, because it has been proven that their use reduces head injuries and has a protective effect against facial injuries and fractures.
Europe’s main observatory on urban mobility, Eltis, releases write-up on the role of local authorities in planning and managing rapidly growing new mobility services
The case study of Paris explores how action was taken after the swift introduction of free-floating e-scooter fleets and increased personal ownership, including the introduction of a Code of Good Conduct while awaiting a legal framework.
Of key interest is the 18-month period that could be considered a ‘legal vacuum’, in which e-scooters were not subject to the Highway Code, and the National Law on Mobility (LOM) was stalled as it awaited approval by the French government.
Paris’ governing body acted to create a working group for all e-scooter stakeholders, inviting operators of the devices to sign a Code of Good Conduct before the end of May 2019. From here, any new operator of e-scooters in the region was invited to join the group to discuss the use of rental e-scooters in public spaces.
The Code of Good Conduct provided guiding principles and paved the way for good public-private collaboration. Operators were encouraged to work on a deployment strategy that respects other users, with the main aspects of the Code covering:
Parking and riding rules
Operators’ commitments regarding safety and security
Respect for other users, particularly people with disabilities
Relationship with the city authorities
Use of e-scooters in line with sustainability priorities of the city.
Stress was placed on the need to ensure pedestrian comfort and safety while awaiting national legislation. Paris is a leading example of local governance and public-private cooperation. Other similar cities are increasingly deciding to be in the driver’s seat when it comes to managing the offer and operations of new mobility services.
In a landscape where cities are experiencing a transport transformation in many forms, a well-regulated and integrated urban mobility policy will ensure a smooth transition that is a success for all users of public space and road systems.
Using Paris as a case study, transport planners may observe both successes and challenges in adapting to unfolding technological advances. Read the full Eltis write-up, which includes additional context, results, transferability, and opportunities for development, here.
Statistics provided by the German Insurers Accident Research (UDV) indicate that an e-bike is no more dangerous than a regular bicycle in most cases, despite differing opinions.
As e-bike usage in Germany has grown, so has the associated number of accidents. At a glance, it appears the proportion of elderly people involved in e-bike crashes may have increased, but following analysis, this can actually be attributed to a higher proportion of elderly riders using e-bikes. What is striking is that there are relatively more single-vehicle accidents involving e-cyclists and more accidents generally outside of built-up areas.
Of course, the question is whether e-cyclists run a higher risk per kilometer driven. E-cyclists in Germany drive on average 1.8 times as many kilometers per day than regular cyclists. Once the difference in distance is taken into account, it is revealed that the age group 34-74 is not at a higher risk. This applies to involvement in accidents, the cause of accidents, and the outcome (injury or fatality). However, the risk is higher for those between 18-34 years old and to a lesser extent the over-75s. German researchers hypothesize that young people may take more risks while riding and use the pedal assist to ride faster than regular cyclists.
Incidentally, Germany also struggles with incomplete accident figures. The police only register injury crashes and hardly any single-vehicle crashes. Therefore, a research gap is present and further analysis must be considered once data is available.
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LEVA-EU member THOR AVAS conducts research to improve road and pedestrian safety. The recently launched survey takes no more than 5 minutes and will aid in deepening the understanding of acoustic safety in relation to LEVs.
Municipalities in Germany are unable to issue their own maximum speed laws, impacting the success of liveable city initiatives.
In 2021, 7 German cities announced a new initiative, advocating for the right of municipalities to set their own speed limits. Since the founding cities of Aachen, Augsburg, Freiburg, Hanover, Leipzig, Münster, and Ulm sparked the conversation, 263 municipalities have declared their support.
The ‘Liveable cities through appropriate speeds’ initiative focuses on the central right to enact 30km/h low-speed zones. The basis for this rests on the idea that liveability and quality of life are closely associated with public spaces and the interaction between motor and pedestrian traffic in these areas. Low-speed zones have been shown to reduce noise pollution, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide pollution and decrease the risk of fatal injuries in the areas they are enacted.
The initiative’s four demands, signed off by mayors, city councilors responsible for mobility and urban development, and urban planning departments are:
A commitment to a turnaround in mobility (away from personal vehicles and towards other means of transportation) and quality of life measures in cities.
A 30km/h speed for motor vehicle traffic, including on main roads, is an integral part of a sustainable, city-wide mobility concept and a strategy for upgrading public spaces.
Petition the federal government to immediately create the legal prerequisites for municipalities to be able to order a maximum speed limit of 30 km/h where the municipalities deem necessary.
A funding model for research projects to determine the individual aspects, benefits, and effects of this regulation, to improve the application of this principle.
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