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Mopeds on the carriageway: a safe solution

 

Dutch law prescribes that moped riders should drive on the cycle track if there is one present, rather than on the carriageway. SWOV was asked to investigate whether it is safer to allow moped riders to use the carriageway designated for motor vehicles inside the built up area.

To this end, an accident study was performed in the form of a before and after study including trial and control sections, where registered injury accidents were subjected to an analysis. Three municipalities participated in the trial: Apeldoorn, Tiel and The Hague (R-95-33).

 

Trial

On November 1, 1991, moped riders were requested to move from the cycle track to the main carriageway on a number of roads inside the built up area of these municipalities. The before period included the last three years prior to introduction of the measure (November 1988 to October 1991 inclusive); the follow-up period included the years from 1992 to 1994 inclusive.

 

Less accidents

When the before and after periods of the study were compared, the trial sections showed a marked reduction in moped accidents involving injury with reference to the increase in this type of accident on the control sections.

The number of moped accidents involving injury was reduced by 70% with respect to the before period on the trial sections, while on the control sections - analogous to the nationwide trend - a reduction of about 20% in this type of accident was shown. The same effect is shown for the number of accident victims, which was also reduced by almost 70%. In particular, collisions between mopeds and motor vehicles (at intersections) and between mopeds and cycles (on road stretches) were reduced considerably in number.

Because not all thinkable road types were included in the trial sections it is difficult to predict the exact effect of the measure 'moped on the carriageway' when the measure would be applied on a larger scale. SWOV is convinced that the effect will be positive; probably at bit less than found and the trial sections.

 

Recommendations

Based on the results of the study, it is recommended to introduce the measure 'moped on the carriageway' on a larger scale. This is best realised by making 'moped on the carriageway' generally applicable in the Netherlands for locations inside the built up area.

The trial application of the measure 'moped on the carriageway' related only to road sections inside the built up area; no recommendations can be made on the basis of this study with respect to situations outside the built up area.

January 1996 a working group has been set up which is to draw up guidelines in mid-1996 indicating where and how the measure 'moped on the carriageway' should be applied.

SWOV Research Activities 5 - March 1996

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