Traffic circles: cyclists are particularly at risk here
Attention at traffic circles: The proportion of serious collisions between cars and bicycles is high here. Cyclists are particularly at risk because they can easily be overlooked. The campaign of Pro Velo, VCS, bfu, Suva, TCS, police and other partners warns "Be careful when giving way".
Every year, more than 800 cyclists and 100 e-bikers are involved in serious accidents. Every second accident involves a collision, mostly with passenger cars. The most common cause is failure to yield the right of way. While at conventional junctions, car drivers cause an accident with a bicycle in just under 60 percent of cases, around 90 percent of accidents at traffic circles are caused by drivers of passenger cars who overlook a bicycle and hit it.
The message of the new campaign by Pro Velo, VCS, bfu, Suva, TCS, police and other partners for everyone is therefore: give way, look ahead and, for your own safety, look twice.
In the traffic circle bicycles in the middle of the lane
A study carried out as part of the campaign with the LINK research institute showed, among other things, that every second car and bicycle driver does not know the rules of behavior at traffic circles correctly. Important to know: At traffic circles, cyclists are allowed to deviate from the right-hand rule and ride in the middle of the lane. This improves visibility and safety and reduces the risk of being overlooked in the traffic circle.
"You've got no spirit, you pussy."
When disregarding the right of way, the expressions of some contemporaries also turn out to be violent. Who doesn't know the neighbor from the balcony, the school caretaker or even good acquaintances who see red in between. In the new campaign video "Müller sieht rot" (Müller sees red), for example, people dish out a lot. Fortunately, one of them looks twice - and an accident can be prevented at the last moment.
Other elements of the campaign include street posters, an online contest on caution-clearance.ch as well as TV commercials in which car and bicycle riders have surprising encounters with elephants and UFOs, with the warning: "Watch your step - you never know what's coming".
Bike fans can experience the traffic circle theme 1:1 at nine slowUp in Suva City. In addition, three tandems with masks will distribute "be careful" vitamins to participants, the first time on April 23, 2017 at slowUp Ticino. The campaign is funded by the Swiss Road Safety Fund FVS and is being carried out for the fourth time.
