On the road to school: A naturalistic study of adolescent bicyclist route safety

Abstract

Background: The rate of active transportation to school has significantly declined in recent decades. Safety concerns are a primary factor contributing to this decrease. This study aims to identify factors that impact the safety of students’ bicycling chosen route including environmental features, social factors, as well as student and parent characteristics. Additionally, the study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of navigational applications such as Google Maps and Komoot in recommending safe cycling routes. Method: The study sample included 32 adolescents (10–15 years old) and one parent/guardian for each of the adolescents. The dataset consisted of GPS and video data recorded by helmet cameras during students’ bicycle trips to school. Furthermore, baseline surveys provided demographic information and bicycling habits from both adolescents and parents. To compare different routes, a safety score was calculated, derived from environmental factors, traffic conditions, and geometric features. Linear Mixed Models (LMM) were used to examine the relationship between potential predictors including adolescents and parents’ demographics and environmental characteristics and the safety score assigned to each route. Results: Younger students and those living in a more bike-friendly neighborhood chose safer routes to school. Participants rode on sidewalks more often when taking routes with lower safety scores, most likely to avoid traffic. Additionally, routes suggested by Komoot and the actual routes taken by students were safer than those suggested by Google Maps bike routing. Conclusion: The study’s findings emphasized the significance of bike infrastructure in improving the safety of young bicyclists and increasing the rate of active transportation to school. It also highlights the critical role of safety interventions and parents guiding their children in safe bicycling behaviors, as well as children learning and applying safe route selection skills. Practical Application: Enhancing bike infrastructure and refining navigational apps to prioritize safer routes can improve student cycling safety.