Cyclists often endanger themselves
Cyclists who break traffic rules cause around ten percent of all serious collisions on Swiss roads each year, according to the Swiss Federal Accident Prevention Bureau (BFU). Surprisingly, however, ignoring red lights and riding on the sidewalk tend not to be the main reason for accidents.
Cyclists endanger themselves According to an analysis of the Swiss Federal Accident Prevention Bureau (BFU). Every year, there are around 200 serious collisions on Swiss roads caused by cyclists. The cyclists themselves are usually seriously injured or pay for the accident with their lives. Around 10 percent of these serious collisions occur on Swiss roads each year.
More police control and more prevention
However, the analysis of the BFU indicates that many of the accidents are caused by failure to yield the right of way. In an average year, there are four fatalities and more than 60 serious injuries. An often criticized misbehavior of cyclists is also ignoring red lights, riding on one-way streets or cyclists who do not ride at night without lights. However, due to these circumstances, relatively fewer accidents occur than in the case of disregarding the right of way rules. Nevertheless, according to the BFU, even such petty offenses should be checked more often by the police, since they have no less serious consequences for pedestrians as well as for those who cause them.
However, cyclists are also disadvantaged in many traffic situations. The BFU also complains that there is a need for action in terms of infrastructure and insists on a safe, coherent network of cycle paths with few detours and waiting times, so that cyclists can increasingly use the paths intended for them and behave in accordance with the rules. Serious collisions between cars and bicycles can be prevented by modern assistance systems such as emergency brake assistants and turn assistants. It is also important to continuously adapt the technical equipment of the vehicles during driver training.
Source: AAIB
