Traffic safety culture among bicyclists – Results from a Norwegian study

Abstract

This paper reports results from a study of traffic safety culture (TSC) among bicyclists (N=231) in Oslo, Norway. The aims of the study are to examine whether respondents’ TSC in relation to bicycling is related to the TSC of their peers, and whether respondents’ TSC influences their bicycle accident risk. The study measures TSC among bicyclists as a set of interrelated bicycle safety behaviours and – attitudes that are shared in groups. This study focuses on peer groups, which are operationalized as respondents’ closest friends and colleagues. Results indicate that respondents’ TSCs are associated with those that they ascribe to their peers, and that respondents’ bicycle safety behaviours predict their bicycle accident risk. As respondents’ bicycle safety attitudes not predicted their bicycle accident risk, the role of bicycle safety attitudes as a component of TSC is discussed. Although we have only measured TSC that respondents ascribe to their peers, the study could indicate that TSCs related to bicycling are shared in peer groups. Although more research is needed, the study suggests that the TSC perspective can be applied to non-professional road users in general, and specifically vulnerable road users like bicyclists. Implications for traffic safety interventions are discussed.