Do pedelecs and speed pedelecs reduce safety for other users of the bicycle track?

Answer

Theoretically, bicycle tracks become less safe when there are greater differences in vehicle speed and mass (conventional bicycles, racing bikes, cargo bikes, pedelecs and light mopeds). However, data about the number of bicycle track crashes involving pedelecs or speed pedelecs are missing.

Speed pedelecs are not allowed to use a dedicated bicycle track, but should use the combined bicycle/moped track or, if this is absent, the carriageway. There are indications, however, that speed pedelec riders regularly use dedicated bicycle tracks. In such cases, their average speed is 29 km/h, which is considerably higher than the average speed of other bicycle track users. An in-depth study of speed pedelec crashes [29] showed that in one third of the crashes the speed pedelec rider had used the bicycle track: in six cases this was against the rules and in two cases according to the rules at that time (when speed pedelecs were still categorised as light mopeds). In one fifth of the crashes, speed pedelec riders had used the combined bicycle/moped track, in one third of the crashes the carriageway. In two crashes, they had used a bicycle lane or non-designated bicycle lane. Regular pedelecs always share the road with non-powered bicycles, while the average speed of regular pedelecs is notably higher [30]. See the question How fast do pedelec and speed pedelec riders cycle?. Information about how often speed differences lead to crashes is not available.

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Pedelecs and speed pedelecs

In 2020, over a quarter of the total number of bicycle kilometres were cycled on pedelecs; particularly the over-65s opt for pedelecs. This is also Meer

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