Cycling has always been a popular activity, and more and more people are using bicycles as a means of transport for commuting, exercising, and especially with the rise of rental city bikes and scooters. But how safe is our road network for those choosing bicycles to get around? The Institute of Transport Economics (TØI) has examined this issue to contribute to identifying how local authorities can better invest in infrastructure to protect cyclists from injuries. Led by Torkel Bjørnskau and his team, TØI has utilized MI Pro's platform to collect data for building an innovative survey aimed at addressing this important problem. The survey is part of a research project in Agder and later Buskerud, funded by the Research Council of Norway, Agder County Municipality, and the Buskerud City Collaboration.
To start understanding where and how cycling injuries occur, it's useful to establish a baseline of how often they happen.
Unfortunately, most bicycle accidents are not reported in official police statistics. For instance, in Oslo in 2014, only 125 cycling injuries were officially reported; by 2019, this number had dropped to just 90. This could suggest that conditions for cyclists have improved. However, when looking at data from the Oslo Emergency Room, there were 1,673 cycling injuries in 2014 and 1,792 in 2019. This injury rate is therefore 20 times higher than the official statistics, simultaneously indicating an increase in injuries over time.
One explanation is the misunderstanding that most injuries are caused by collisions with vehicles. When examining hospital data from 2019, only 17% of reported injuries were collisions. The majority of injuries occurred as so-called "single accidents," where no other parties were involved, such as cars or public transport.
Since the injured party is the only one affected, they often go to the hospital for treatment without reporting the incident to local authorities. This naturally distorts the picture, making it seem as though most bicycle accidents involve cars, when in fact, they do not.
To improve the decision-making basis regarding infrastructure and more, it was therefore crucial to first enhance the reporting of these accidents so they could be better understood and avoided.
To understand where to invest in infrastructure to improve cyclist safety in Norway through a more accurate accident reporting system.
To gather information on accident statistics, TØI needed a close collaboration with the health services to collect data from emergency departments.
The chosen methodology was as follows:
The scope of this study and the importance of collecting accurate data presented several challenges. The study primarily depended on close collaboration with staff at the emergency and acute care departments. Without assistance from doctors, nurses, and health personnel, it would have been impossible to gather this data from patients.
From an operational perspective, the survey needed to be both a traditional "question and answer" format and an interactive mapping tool. Normally, data collection tools can offer only one of these functions, necessitating two separate questionnaires to gather the required information. This would create additional administrative burdens, increase costs, and reduce the likelihood of full participation.
The final challenge related to managing and monitoring the "survey ecosystem." There were multiple questionnaires for each step in the research process; various entry points to the survey (e.g., QR code, survey link, or iPad); different hospital locations; and potentially varying completion times (e.g., if a person was unable to answer the questions. In this latter case, they would need to be sent an email or SMS to respond to the questionnaire at a later time).
TØI implemented a range of solutions to address these challenges. They collaborated with MI Pro to:
Figure 1: A Screenshot Showing Google Maps Integration with Street View Functionality
The MI Pro solution enabled TØI to play a central role in this study. It allowed TØI to integrate Google Maps into a traditional survey design, facilitating the collection of extensive information about an accident and its location. This information regarding the accident site and surrounding infrastructure provided valuable insights for implementing relevant countermeasures.
“We chose to work with MI Pro for this project because we can have the team at the table. We can utilize MI Pro as partners and benefit from their expertise to enhance our research capabilities. Ultimately, it’s great to talk to people who know what they’re doing. We feel supported by MI Pro and know that we are a priority for them.”
— Torkel Bjørnskau, Project Manager, Researcher 1, TØI
This initiative can therefore provide a very tangible and practical application for people around the world. Whether you personally use a bicycle or know someone who does, it is crucial to improve safety around this mode of transport. The methodology employed by TØI represents a win-win for all parties involved; healthcare professionals gain a better understanding of how patients arrive at emergency departments, TØI accesses valuable data to better understand a societal issue, and local authorities receive clearer insights on where to focus attention for infrastructure improvements.
The team at TØI will bring their early findings to municipalities, politicians, and police to conduct workshops. The goal is to raise awareness of the problem and attempt to identify potential solutions.
The applicability of this research to communities around the world is also limitless. Once the initial study is completed, it can easily be replicated in various regions and countries. It could also be adapted for other travel-related accidents, such as those involving pedestrians.
In today’s economic climate, it is essential to identify where costs can be reduced. If there are gains in terms of infrastructure improvements, these could lead to significant savings in emergency departments. Most importantly, it would prevent thousands of individuals from serious and potentially long-lasting injuries.
GET IN TOUCH
