90% of the European cyclist have been afraid of the risky behaviour of other users in the past. This percentage was revealed in a survey conducted by Ipsos for VINCI Autoroutes Foundation in 11 different countries.
Cyclists in France generally feel the least safe, and it is also the country with the highest difference between male cyclists (66%) and female cyclists (50%) who feel safe on the road. A look into the behaviour of the car drivers can explain this fear. 66% of the car drivers participating in the survey admit that they sometimes drive use their phone while driving, and 65% of them revealed that they sometimes drive through an amber or red light. And the danger is not completely away once the car is parked: 36% of the drivers do not always check if a cyclist is coming when opening their door. The survey discovered that 65% of the car drivers who also cycle believe that cycling requires more attention than driving a car.
However, risky behaviour can be found across all road users. 63% if the pedestrians are scared that they will get hit by a cyclist on the pavement, and this fear is not unrealistic: 44% of the motorcyclists and 71% of the cyclists claimed to ride sometimes on the pavements, and 64% of them have already parked their motor or bicycle on the pavement. This creates a dangerous obstacle for people with limited mobility. The survey also revealed that 87% of the pedestrians sometimes cross at places other than at the designated crossing.
Interested in all statistics discovered via the survey? Download the report for free!
