The research conducted by the University of Bristol was published in the journal Injury Prevention. (Photo From Reuters)
A recent study by the University of Bristol suggests that the introduction of electric scooter schemes has led to a 20% reduction in bicycle collisions in certain areas.
Researchers analyzed police data on road collisions across the UK between 2015 and 2023, comparing bicycle accident rates before and after e-scooter schemes were implemented. The findings, published in the journal Injury Prevention on Friday, indicate that bicycle collisions decreased significantly in areas where e-scooters were introduced, while overall traffic collision rates returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Professor Yoav Ben-Shlomo, a clinical epidemiologist at the University of Bristol, emphasized the potential benefits of improved road safety. “If more people are encouraged to cycle because the roads are safer, there are potentially even larger positive effects,” he said.
The study also found that when combining bicycle and e-scooter collision data, the reduction in bicycle accidents remained unchanged. Researchers suggest this supports the “safety in numbers” hypothesis, where increased use of non-motorized vehicles results in greater awareness among all road users.
“We were delighted to confirm the safety in numbers hypothesis, but we need further data to be sure this is a real effect,” Professor Ben-Shlomo added.
Zoe Banks Gross, founder of the cycling group East Bristol Kidical Mass, echoed the study’s implications, stating that “increasing actual and perceived safety is important to encourage more people to cycle.”
Despite these findings, concerns over e-scooter safety persist. Police data from Bristol revealed that e-scooters were involved in over 100 road collisions within a year, accounting for approximately 10% of serious crashes in the city.