Print this page Promoting Bicycle Commuter Safety
Mark P. Rossow, PhD, PE Retired
Course Outline
This seven-hour online course begins with an overview of the risks associated with cycling, to emphasize the need for safety. Next the fundamental principles of cycling system design are discussed: engineering, education, enforcement, encouragement, and evaluation. Then the principles are illustrated with many practical illustrations drawn from case studies of three communities known for their successful promotion of commuter cycling.
This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.
Learning Objective
This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills:
- Becoming familiar with the types and frequency of cycling accidents, including the distribution of accident types by age group;
- Understanding the importance for safety of separating bicycles from motor vehicles;
- Be introduced to the five principles that define effective practice for promoting bicycle commuter safety;
- Understanding the principles of bicycle boulevards;
- Learning about bicycle traffic laws and in what respects they differ from laws governing auto traffic;
- Becoming aware of the widespread disregard of many traffic laws by cyclists;
- Learning about the three classes of bikeways;
- Understanding various ways of promoting helmet use;
- Understanding reasons for cyclists’ resistance to wearing helmets;
- Avoiding mistakes some communities have made in the past, when attempting to implement pro-bicycle policies;
- Learning about the role of traffic calming devices in promoting safe cycling;
- Using attendance at bicycle safety classes as a means of education, while allowing for a reduction of bicycle-related traffic fines; and
- Learning about experiences in cities known for their well-established cycling infrastructure.
Intended Audience
This course is intended for civil and transportation engineers concerned with the design of bicycle commuter facilities.
Benefit to Attendees
A person completing this course will be familiar with and able to apply principles of bicycle system design to improve the safety of bicycling infrastructure.
Course Introduction
In the U. S., on average one fatality occurs per every five-million bicycle trips. However, the risk of every trip is not the same. Some behaviors can increase or decrease the safety of bicycling, as can environmental factors, the bicycling infrastructure, and motorist behavior.
Course Content
This course is based on Sections I, III, V, VI and VII of MTI Report 11-08 of the Mineta Transportation Institute (College of Business of San Jose State University), “Promoting Bicycle Commuter Safety,” February, 2012. The research upon which the report was based was funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the California Department of Transportation. Asbjorn Osland was the Principal Investigator.
Promoting Bicycle Commuter Safety
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Course Summary
Engineering, education, enforcement, encouragement, and evaluation are the five principles upon which a safe cycling infrastructure can be constructed.
Related Links
For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following websites or web pages:
http://transweb.sjsu.edu/project/2927.html
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
