Using Data to Protect Cyclists
June 8, 2022
Across the United States, cyclists are being killed by motor vehicles at a record rate, and experts say a major reason is that roadways are designed primarily to handle automotive traffic. In Issues, Megan S. Ryerson and her colleagues suggest an approach to make urban streets safer. As a basic step, they argue, collecting and analyzing data on the everyday experiences of cyclists and other nonmotorists as they navigate streets would shift the way safety is measured. “This approach,” they write, “will fundamentally change the way safety countermeasures are designed, evaluated, and prioritized by federal, state, and local transportation authorities.”