In Germany in 2013 around 10% (i.e. 6,585) accidents involving personal injury and serious material damage, around 10% of the bicycle accidents (traffic accidents involving cyclists) occurred on rural roads (not considering motorways). According to the guidelines for the design of rural roads (RAL, 2012), especially in the case of roads of design class 3 (EKL 3) it has to be examined, whether bicycle traffic can be routed on the carriageway or whether, for safety reasons and traffic flow, cycle traffic should be routed on a separate cycle path. Such consideration should consider volume and speed of motor vehicle traffic, the percentage of heavy truck traffic, the openness of the road as well as the volume of bicycle traffic, and its share of vulnerable cyclists. The aim of this research project was, to establish the risk potential of cycle traffic on roadways and intersections on two-lane rural roads, applying accident and traffic flow analysis. After a macroscopic accident analysis of road accident statistics for the years 2008 to 2012, an empirical investigation were carried out on a total of 17 roadways of federal and regional roads, with a total of 20 measurement units. By means of a specially equipped pedelec, the characteristics speed, distance, etc. of more than 13,000 overtaking manoeuvres of motor vehicle traffic were recorded and analysed. Based on a detailed analysis of accidents occurring at 61 intersections with road signs (without roundabouts), recommendations regarding the cycle traffic routing at intersections were derived. (Author/publisher)
Abstract