Self-reported cycling behavior and previous history of traffic accidents of cyclists

Cyclists are vulnerable traffic users and studying the cycling behavior of professional and elite cyclists, their previous history of traffic accidents combined with the current knowledge on high-risk behaviors of this group can be a useful basis for further studies on ordinary cyclists. This study aimed to determine the relationship between cycling behavior and the previous history of traffic accidents among members of the Cycling Federation of Guilan province in 2022.

A descriptive-analytical study was performed in which the Bicycle Rider Behavior Questionnaire (BRBQ) constructed in the Porsline platform was distributed using the WhatsApp social network. All participants were asked to self-report their cycling behavior. The final analysis was performed by using STATA software (version 14).

The study subjects included a total of 109 cyclists with a mean age of 38.62 ± 10.94 years and a mean cycling experience of 13.75 ± 11.08 years. Using the logistic regression model, the relationship between gender (P = 0.039), years of cycling experience (P = 0.000), and education level (P ≤ 0.00), with previous traffic accidents, was found significant. There was also a significant relationship between stunts and distractions (P = 0.005), signaling violation (P = 0.000), and control error (P = 0.011) with previous traffic accidents. A significant association existed between stunts and distractions (P = 0.001) and signaling violation (P = 0.001) with a previous history of traffic injury within the last 3 years.

The findings of this study can be used to establish cyclist safety and preventative planning in society. In behavior change intervention programs, it is best to target male cyclists with higher-level education. In addition, the behavior of the cyclists whose predominant term of signaling violations must be corrected should be targeted. It is necessary to shape information campaigns and educational programs aimed for cyclists with common high-risk behaviors, especially signaling violations.