Analysis of electric bicycle riders’ visual strategies and riding performances when using a mobile phone

Abstract

Introduction: Electric bicycles have emerged as a prevalent mode of urban transportation. However, safety concerns remain prevalent due to riders’ engagement in distracting activities such as answering calls, checking messages, and texting while riding. Method: This study conducted a controlled experiment on a university campus roadway with 30 participants to investigate the combined impacts of mobile phone-related distractions and environmental obstacles on electric bicycle rider safety. A multimodal data acquisition framework was implemented, integrating fixed cameras for trajectory analysis and eye-tracking devices to quantify visual attention patterns. Results: Distracted riding induces significant alterations in both visual strategies and riding performance. Participants engaged in distracting tasks spent less time observing the forward roadway, evidenced by a decrease in fixation duration. Additionally, distraction resulted in reduced riding stability, characterized by decreased speed, increased acceleration variability, and a higher frequency of deflection angle changes compared to free riding conditions. Environmental obstacles further amplified these effects. Conclusions: Interactive phone tasks, particularly texting, pose significantly higher safety risks than passive tasks, especially in the presence of obstacles. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to mitigate such risks. Practical Applications: To enhance electric bicycle rider safety, recommended measures include implementing targeted educational programs emphasizing the dangers of distracted riding, especially for high-risk groups like young riders, and improving cycling infrastructure to minimize environmental hazards.