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Bicycling crashes on streetcar & train tracks: causes & solutions

Author(s): Teschke, Dennis, Reynolds, Winters, Harris

Slidedeck Presentation Only (no paper submitted):

7B - Teschke

Abstract:

Streetcar or train tracks in urban areas are difficult for bicyclists to negotiate and are a cause of crashes and injuries. This study used mixed methods to identify measures to prevent such crashes, by examining track-related crashes that resulted in injuries to cyclists, and obtaining information from the local transit agency and bike shops. We compared personal, trip, and route infrastructure characteristics of 87 crashes directly involving streetcar or train tracks to 189 crashes in other circumstances in Toronto, Canada. We complemented this with engineering information about the rail systems, interviews of personnel at seven bike shops about advice they provide to customers, and width measurements of tires on commonly sold bikes. In our study, 32 % of injured cyclists had crashes that directly involved tracks. The vast majority resulted from the bike tire being caught in the rail flangeway (gap in the road surface alongside rails), often when cyclists made unplanned maneuvers to avoid a collision. Track crashes were more common on major city streets with parked cars and no bike infrastructure, with left turns at intersections, with hybrid, racing and city bikes, among less experienced and less frequent bicyclists, and among women. Commonly sold bikes typically had tire widths narrower than the smallest track flangeways. There were no track crashes in route sections where streetcars and trains had dedicated rights of way. Given our results, prevention efforts might be directed at individual knowledge, bicycle tires, or route design, but their potential for success is likely to differ.

Cycling training materials typically advise cyclists to cross tracks at right angles, but this may not be possible at intersections with complicated track patterns, especially when making left turns. Current training materials do not indicate the left turn risk, so the value of two-stage left turns would be worth conveying. Other factors may limit the benefit of educational measures. Children, people with certain disabilities, or who do not speak English may not be reached by or be able to implement guidance about tracks. In addition, most crashes resulted from sudden maneuvers to avoid collisions, situations that did not allow prior knowledge to be used as planned.

Using tires wider than flangeways could prevent some crashes, but this idea needs verification with field tests (worthwhile research, but risky to participants). Another way to prevent tires being caught might be flangeway fillers that are depressed by the weight of tram wheels but not bicycle wheels. Testing to date has not supported their implementation along a full tram network. To prevent track-involved injuries, the best strategies would be route design measures including dedicated rail rights of way, cycle tracks (physically separated bike lanes), and protected intersections. Dedicated rail rights-of-way would have the added benefit of more efficient movement of the trams, likely attracting people to this mode of travel. Similarly, cycle tracks and protected intersections would have the added benefit of minimizing interactions with motor vehicles and this would attract many more people to cycle. These are policy measures concordant with a Vision Zero standard; they would prevent most of the track-involved injury scenarios observed in this study.