Mapping Cycling and Walking Crashes by new Smart Tools

In the project "Mapping bicycle and pedestrian accidents with new smart tools (CyWalk)", we will use a new registration tool to register accidents on foot and with bicycles, e-scooters and other forms of micro mobility. Such accidents and injuries are registered to a very small extent today. The reason is that most injuries occur as a result of single accidents, and such accidents are rarely registered, even though they can lead to very serious injuries. There is therefore a great need for better registration of these accidents. In the project, we will use a new digital registration tool to register such accidents in Oslo, Bergen and Agder, in collaboration with hospitals and emergency wards. The tool has been in use in Agder to register bicycle accidents since June 2022 and the experiences are very good. The tool is is a short digital questionnaire that patients answer using a QR code and their own mobile phone, or on a tablet with assistance from healthcare personnel. The questionnaire includes a map with "street view" making it possible to precisely locate the accident geographically and to identify which elements contributed to the accident (kerb, pole, hole etc.). By using newer methods in spatial statistics, we shall identify accident black spots so that the authorities can introduce preventive measures. The under-reporting of bicycle accidents is known, and we estimate that there are around 20 times as many accidents as what is officially registered in the accident statistics. When it comes to pedestrians, we know less, i.e. because single accidents (falls) are not defined as traffic accidents. In CyWalk, in addition to mapping where and how accidents on foot, with bicycles and electric scooters occur, we will also investigate how accidents among pedestrians affect the experience of how dangerous they perceive it is to go outside, and what it takes for them to use protective equipment such as spiked shoes and ice cleats.

A key challenge for cities and regions is to promote active and sustainable transport modes without increasing accidents and injuries. The CyWalk project will contribute important knowledge about accident mechanisms and relevant safety measures. This is particularly important for pedestrian accidents that occur on public infrastructure, as these are currently not reported. The CyWalk project further develops a new accident registration tool (created in the ReCyCLIST project) and procedures for recruiting injured cyclist, micro mobility users (incl. e-scooters) and pedestrian at hospitals and emergency wards. Experiences from the development and implementation of the CyWalk tool will provide input to the future implementation of a national system for injury registration. CyWalk will examine characteristics of cyclist, e-scooter rider and pedestrian accidents in the involved cities. The registration tool includes map and street view functions, and we will use novel statistical methods to identify high-risk locations in the road network. Based on accident registrations, surveys, literature review and stakeholder workshops, we will identify relevant safety measures. These will be implemented and evaluated through field trials applying different data sources (accident registrations, video registrations, survey). CyWalk will fund a PhD candidate who will focus on mechanisms for pedestrian accidents, consequences of such accidents and barriers for pedestrian protective behavior. This includes a cross-sectional survey to a random sample of the population, as well as follow-up of injured pedestrians, to examine the effects of accidents on risk perception, travel behavior and quality of life. The CyWalk project is a collaboration between transport research institutes, public authorities, medical expertise, as well as a web-tool developer and end-user organization. CyWalk is such an excellent example of cooperation between research groups and users of the research.