ABSTRACT
The cyclist safety problem Cyclists represent an important part of the traffic system-at least in some countries in Europe-especially in urban areas. In Europe, about 6 per cent of all road users killed in a traffic accident are cyclists, and the range is from 1 per cent in Greece up to 22 per cent in the Netherlands. As far as people injured are concerned about 7 per cent are cyclists, with a range from 1 per cent in Greece to 25 per cent in the Netherlands (UNO Statistics). It is a statistic which must be taken into consideration by any sort of project which intends to improve traffic safety. Although it is difficult to compare the exposure of cyclists with that of motorized traffic, some studies indicate that their risk of being injured in traffic is much higher than the risk of car drivers or passengers. Some results of an analysis carried out on Swedish accident data (Thulin, 1981) can be seen in Table 11.1.
