#9 new research on pedestrian and bicycle behavior: perceptions, attitudes, and habits - sanders

Exploring Traffic Danger for Bicyclists

Initial Findings from a Recent Survey of Drivers and Bicyclists in the Bay Area

Rebecca Sanders, UC Berkeley Pro Walk Pro Bike

September 11, 2012

•  Survey on perceived and actual bicycle danger •  Findings: Detecting trends

–  Cyclist groups worry about different safety issues

–  Frequent cyclists’ worries related to near misses and actual collisions for self, friends, and family

–  Infrequent cyclists slightly affected by personal experiences and those of friends and family

–  Potential cyclists slightly affected by experiences of friends and family

–  Near misses need more attention

–  Support for bicycling associated with worries about cycling

Overview

2

3

Methodology & Study Area

Image credit: Bay Area Air Quality Management District

• Internet survey • Convenience sample • 467 respondents (42% response rate) • Surveyed summer, 2011

95

226 74

30

14

3

2

7

Survey Population

4

Total (N=467) *Bay Area (N=4,496,326)

Age Range % %

18-24 6 9

25-34 36 15

35-44 18 15

45-54 21 15

55-64 16 12

65+ 4 12

Sex

Male 45 49

Female 54 51

Age Range and Sex Comparison of Survey and Bay Area Populations

Source: U.S. Census Summary File 1, Table QT-P1 Age Groups and Sex

Survey Population

5

Age Range

Non-cyclists (n=194)

%

Infrequent cyclists (n=171)

%

Frequent cyclists (n=102)

%

18-24 4 5 10

25-34 34 35 41

35-44 18 18 17

45-54 16 29 16

55-64 21 11 16

65+ 7 2 -

Survey Respondents by Age and Cycling Frequency

Chi-square significant p < 0.10

Survey Population

6

Survey Respondents by Sex and Cycling Frequency

Sex


%


%


%

Male 33 56 48

Female 64 43 51 Chi-square significant p < 0.000

Survey Population

7

Race/Ethnicity

Total (N=467)

%

*Bay Area (N=4,496,326)

%

Caucasian/White 59 50

Asian 15 23

African American/Black 5 9

Hispanic 5 22

Native American/Alaska Native - 1

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 1 1

Other 7 10

Two or more races 4 6

Race and Ethnicity Comparison of Survey and Bay Area Populations

Source: U.S. Census Summary File 1, Table QT-P3 Race and Hispanic or Latino Origin

Survey Population

8

Race/Ethnicity


%


%


%

Caucasian/White 53 61 69

Asian 19 13 10

African American/Black 7 4 3

Hispanic 5 5 5

Native American/Alaska Native 1 - -

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 1 2 1

Other* 8 8 6

Two or more races 5 5 4

Survey Respondents by Race/Ethnicity and Cycling Frequency

*Other included Indian and Middle Eastern Chi-square significant p < 0.10

9

Survey Population

Annual HH Income

Total (N=467)

%

*Bay Area (N=4,496,326)

%

< $35k 15 22

$35k-$49k 10 11

$50k-$74k 19 16

$75k-$99k 13 13

$100k-$149k 18 18

$150k + 12 19

Income Comparison of Survey and Bay Area Populations

Source: 2010 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table S-1901 Income in the Past 12 Months

10

Survey Population

Annual HH Income


%


%


%

< $35k 15 12 17

$35k-$49k 12 9 8

$50k-$74k 19 19 20

$75k-$99k 13 13 13

$100k-$149k 14 22 20

$150k + 11 13 12

Survey Respondents by Income and Cycling Frequency

Chi-square not significant

Survey Results

11

Percentage of Respondents who Feel Safe Traveling on Different Street Types


%


%


%

Total (N=466)

%

Residential

Bicycle* 71 78 83 76

Drive 89 91 89 90

Walk 89 95 96 93

Commercial

Bicycle 29 23 32 28

Drive 73 74 67 72

Walk* 76 81 85 80 * Significant difference at level of p < 0.10

Survey Results

12



%


%


%

Total (N=466)

%

Residential

Bicycle* 71 78 83 76

Drive 89 91 89 90

Walk 89 95 96 93

Commercial

Bicycle 29 23 32 28

Drive 73 74 67 72


Survey Results

13



%


%


%

Total (N=466)

%

Residential

Bicycle* 71 78 83 76

Drive 89 91 89 90

Walk 89 95 96 93

Commercial

Bicycle 29 23 32 28

Drive 73 74 67 72


Survey Results

14

The Extent to which Safety Concerns “Strongly Influence” Potential and Infrequent Cyclists, and “Always Worry” Frequent Cyclists

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

I'll be hit by an inattentive driver

Drivers will drive too fast near me

Drivers will drive too close to me

I'll be cut off while turning

I'll make a mistake and hurt myself or

others

I'll be hit by a car door

Drivers will be aggressive toward

me

Potential Cyclists (n=148) Infrequent Cyclists (n=168) Frequent Cyclists (n=94)

Survey Results

15

The Extent to which Safety Concerns “Strongly Influence” Potential and Infrequent Cyclists, and “Always Worry” Frequent Cyclists

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%






others



me


16

Survey Results The Extent to which Safety Concerns Have “Some Influence” on Potential and Infrequent Cyclists, and “Sometimes Worry” Frequent Cyclists

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%






others



me


Survey Results Potentially Dangerous Incidents for Bicyclists – Bicyclists’ Self Report (n=273)

Incident Incidence

Cyclist was passed with fewer than 3 feet 65%

Driver blocked bike lane while waiting for someone or parking 54%

Driver/passenger opened car door and hit / almost hit cyclist 45%

Driver hit / almost hit cyclist while turning 41%

Driver honked / yelled at cyclist when s/he was not in the wrong 42%

Driver merged into lane and hit / almost hit cyclist 31%

Driver drove aggressively around cyclist 42%

Driver tried to beat cyclist to a turn and hit / almost hit him/her 23%

Driver blocked cyclist from merging into lane after cyclist signaled 25%


Incident Incidence Actually

hit?

Cyclist was passed with fewer than 3 feet 65% 2%

Driver blocked bike lane while waiting for someone or parking 54% 2%

Driver/passenger opened car door and hit / almost hit cyclist 45% 6%

Driver hit / almost hit cyclist while turning 41% 8%

Driver honked / yelled at cyclist when s/he was not in the wrong 42% 2%

Driver merged into lane and hit / almost hit cyclist 31% 4%

Driver drove aggressively around cyclist 42% 2%

Driver tried to beat cyclist to a turn and hit / almost hit him/her 23% 3%

Driver blocked cyclist from merging into lane after cyclist signaled 25% 1%


Incident Incidence Actually

hit? Incident :

Hit

Cyclist was passed with fewer than 3 feet 65% 2% 29

Driver blocked bike lane while waiting for someone or parking 54% 2% 37

Driver/passenger opened car door and hit / almost hit cyclist 45% 6% 8

Driver hit / almost hit cyclist while turning 41% 8% 5

Driver honked / yelled at cyclist when s/he was not in the wrong 42% 2% 23

Driver merged into lane and hit / almost hit cyclist 31% 4% 8

Driver drove aggressively around cyclist 42% 2% 23

Driver tried to beat cyclist to a turn and hit / almost hit him/her 23% 3% 8

Driver blocked cyclist from merging into lane after cyclist signaled 25% 1% 34

Survey Results

Influence of Collision and Near Miss Experiences on Worries about Safety

Related Collision Related Near Miss

Potential cyclist

(n=145)

Infrequent cyclist

(n=164)

Frequent cyclist (n=93)

Potentialcyclist

(n=145)

Infrequent cyclist

(n=164)


Worry about being cut off by a turning driver n/a * * n/a - *** Worry about being doored n/a - * n/a - *** Worry about drivers passing too close n/a - - n/a - * Worry about aggressive drivers n/a - - n/a - ***

Significance indicated at the following levels: * p ≤ 0.10; ** p ≤ 0.01; *** p ≤ 0.001

Survey Results

Influence of the Experiences of Friends and Family on Worries about Safety

You, friends, or family have crashed with a cyclist while driving

You, friends, or family have crashed with a driver while

bicycling

Potential cyclist

(n=145)

Infrequent cyclist

(n=164)


Potential cyclist

(n=145)

Infrequent cyclist

(n=164)


Worry about being cut off by a turning driver - - * - - ** Worry about being doored * - - * - * Worry about drivers passing too close - - - - * - Worry about making a mistake - - * - - *

Significance indicated at the following levels: * p ≤ 0.10; ** p ≤ 0.01; *** p ≤ 0.001

Survey Results

Significant correlation (p < 0.10) between support for bicycling in one’s city and the following worries about safety: 1.  Worry about being hit by a car door 2.  Worry about aggressive driving 3.  Worry about drivers passing too close 4.  Worry about making a mistake that could hurt oneself or

others 5.  Worry about losing one’s balance

Limitations & Future Research

23

• Systematic sample • Internet/email population not representative • Potential self-selection bias

• Trip Diary • Count “near misses” and hits • Recall bias

• Revised survey • Uniform scales

•  Frequent cyclists consistently affected by personal experiences and those of friends and family

•  Infrequent cyclists slightly affected by personal experiences and those of friends and family

•  Potential cyclists –  Slightly affected by experiences of friends and family

–  Worried about different occurrences than frequent cyclists

–  More worried than frequent cyclists about most encounters

•  Near misses influential and pervasive

•  Significant relationship between worries about safety and support for bicycling

Conclusions

24

Next Steps

25

•  Detailed crash analysis of Bay Area •  Exploration of attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge of

roadway laws and their relationship to •  Perceived safety •  Roadway design preferences

Thank you!

26

#9 new research on pedestrian and bicycle behavior: perceptions, attitudes, and habits - sanders

Documents

infrequent cyclists

potential cyclists n

bay area n

overview survey

survey populationrace

sex comparison of survey

recent survey of drivers

family infrequent cyclists