Fewer solo accidents thanks to simple adjustments to the verge

Every year, no fewer than 45,000 cyclists are the victims of solo accidents. Professer Dick de Waard of the University of Groningen, together with the Dutch Cyclists’ Union, Royal HaskoningDHV and local road managers, has been commissioned by the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment to develop a ‘ forgiving cycle path ’. The aim of these cycle paths is to reduce the number of solo accidents and make sure that the accidents that do occur are less serious. A forgiving cycle path would by its very nature invite safer cycling behaviour.            

De Waard and PhD student Frank Westerhuis investigated the effects of various adaptations to the verge. They concluded that making verges ‘forgiving’ would automatically keep cyclists on the right part of the cycle path.

More information

• Dick de Waard
• Traffic and environmental psychology in Groningen
• Paper: Onderzoek naar het effect van ingrepen aan de rand van een fietspad op gedrag, zichtbaarheid & acceptatie [Research on the effects of changes to the edge of the cycle path on behaviour, visibility and acceptance]
• Starting in academic year 2016-2017, the University of Groningen will be offering a new English-taught Master’s degree programme in Traffic Psychology and Sustained Mobility .

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