Hanne Beate Sundfør

This study explores the characteristics of bicycle, e-bike, and e-scooter accidents that are not included in official Norwegian accident statistics, focusing on findings from the ReCyCLIST project in Agder County. Traditional accident reporting systems overlook most incidents involving vulnerable road users (VRUs), particularly single accidents, which represent the majority of such cases. ReCyCLIST introduced a digital self-reporting tool deployed in hospitals and clinics, collecting 671 accident cases between June 2022 and April 2024. The study analyses 487 incidents that occurred in traffic environments, revealing that 73% were single accidents, predominantly caused by infrastructure issues or loss of balance, rather than collisions. The data also highlight demographic differences in accident patterns by age, gender, and vehicle type. Notably, women were more frequently involved in e-scooter accidents, and men were overrepresented in racing bike collisions. Multivariate analysis shows that vehicle type, especially racing bikes, is a strong predictor of collisions. The findings emphasize the critical role of underreported single accidents and provide actionable insights for urban planning and policy development aimed at improving micromobility safety.

Existing research from the Netherlands suggests that bicycle attitudes and behaviour affect each other, but bicycle behaviour affects attitude more than vice versa (Kroesen et al., 2017). We conducted a quasi-replication study using existing datasets (n=972) with slightly different operationalisations and timeframes in a Norwegian context. Using two variations of a structural equation model, we confirm this bidirectional effect, though our findings show a considerably stronger influence of attitudes on behaviour than the reverse.

Many countries colour their cycle lanes, but there is still a lack of research into the impact of this policy. Rather than constraining or regulating movement, coloured asphalt conveys information, and can serve as a good example of a “nudge”. In transport, there are few good examples of effective nudges for improved safety or sustainability. We used a multi-method approach to study the behaviour and experiences of cyclists before and after cycle lanes were coloured using red asphalt. Video data were collected and analysed to measure the extent to which motorists stopped in the cycle lane; motorist distance from the cycle lane on passing; and bicycle placement in the cycle lane. Cyclists (n = 1583) were asked how they experienced the cycle lane in field surveys. GPS data from cyclists (n = 2448) was used to measure whether colouring the cycle lanes resulted in a change of cyclists’ route choice. Video data showed no significant decrease in the share of passing motorists who stopped in the cycle lane. However, there was a significant decrease in the share of motorists stopping in the cycle lane rather than in the car lane or on the pavement. After recoating, motorists also kept a greater distance from the cycle lane; a greater share of cyclists chose to cycle in the cycle lane and a lower share cycled on the pavement. Analysis of survey data showed that visibility, perceived safety and ease of visualisation improved more in the recoated streets than in control streets. Analysis of the GPS data revealed a significant increase in cycling in the first streets to get red asphalt, with mixed results for the later streets. We discuss possible mechanisms behind the effects observed, and whether coloured cycle lanes can be considered as a form of nudging.