Re-enforcing Cyclist Speed Restrictions on Shared Pedestrian Pathways Utilizing a New Creative Street Photographic Initiative

Abstract

Purpose: The International Safety Media Awards site [https://isma-awards.org/] awarded a cycling safety print design, an honourable mention award. This manuscript reports on the research regarding cycling and pedestrian collisions and justification factors pertaining to the rules and regulations around cycling where pedestrians may also walk. The methodology below is performed to determine from the public health literature what recommendations are reported to reduce cyclist speed on shared pedestrian pathways and hence if this gives credence and authority for instigating this photographic initiative. The research gap appears to be understanding the recommendations for speed limits where it specifically may apply to potential collisions between pedestrians and cyclists. This is opposed to just more general speed limits for cycling where e-bikes or pedal bikes may traverse or negotiate their way to a destination mingling with motor vehicles, but where pedestrians maybe less likely to walk.
Methodology: The MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) is the NLM controlled vocabulary thesaurus used for indexing articles for PubMed. https://www.ncbihttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh.
These searches were carried out in Sep 2024. The 1st search; (“Bicycling”[Mesh]) AND “Accidents, Traffic”[Mesh]. Filter; Systematic review.
2nd search string ((“Bicycling”[Mesh]) AND “Pedestrians”[Mesh]) AND “Wounds and Injuries”[Mesh] for evidence that speed restrictions are preventative.
Results: 1st search; 12 retrievals. 2nd search; 48 retrievals.
Discussion and Conclusion: Various researchers report on speed limits being utilised in countries or in specific locations. These include the traffic-calming zone 30 policy or 20 mph [32 kmph] speed restrictions in urban environments on shared pathways to decrease collisions. This ensures the safety of both cyclists and pedestrians. More specifically a speed limit recommendation of <=12 km/h for bicyclists on narrow shared pedestrian paths and footpaths was recommended. Speed limits are advisable, having a significant positive influence on reducing fatal pedestrian crashes hence this creative street photograph showing a cyclist with signage ‘thank you for cycling slowly’ may re-enforce necessity messages to cyclists. The research findings also reiterate that the development of a culture of road safety amongst cyclists and other vehicles or pedestrians is of paramount importance. Hence this concretely backs up the importance of the usage of this awareness photograph on the International Safety Media Awards site, justifying how this may focus people’s attention on safety awareness issues that they may not have previously comprehended or considered.
Integration of this research with other mechanisms to enhance safety may involve increasing visibility with street lighting which enables drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to better detect potential injury risk plus visibility enhancing mitigation manoeuvring possibilities.