Driver Attitudes and Behavior in the Presence of E-Scooters versus Bicyclists

Electric scooters (e-scooters) are a sustainable mode of transportation due to their minimal environmental impact, improved efficiency in moving people, and equity due to their low cost. While e-scooter safety has not been extensively studied and information on e-scooter crashes is lacking, operational similarities of e-scooters and bicyclists can be used to draw parallels. This would allow for an understanding of safety issues related to e-scooters and developing appropriate countermeasures and infrastructure treatments that are suitable for addressing them. The objective of this research is to explore the impact of driver attitudes (e.g., whether they consider e-scooters as a formal mode of transportation or not) and infrastructure on driver behavior when interacting with bicyclists or e-scooters. Multiple scenarios will be developed that differ in the infrastructure used by the bicyclists/riders (e.g., mixed traffic lanes, designated bike/e-scooter lane, or sidewalk for e-scooters). Questionnaires will assess driver attitudes towards e-scooter and bicycling use and attempt to understand factors motivating different attitudes or behaviors towards e-scooters versus bicyclists (e.g., smaller e-scooter footprint affecting their visibility, e-scooter-vehicle interactions at the intersection after traveling on a sidewalk).

Language

  • English

Project

  • Status: Active
  • Funding: $69999
  • Contract Numbers:

    69A3551747131

  • Sponsor Organizations:

    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

    University Transportation Centers Program
    Department of Transportation
    Washington, DC  United States  20590
  • Managing Organizations:

    University of Iowa, Iowa City

    National Advanced Driving Simulator, 2401 Oakdale Blvd
    Iowa City, IA  United States  52242-5003
  • Performing Organizations:

    University of Massachusetts, Amherst

    Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
    130 Natural Resources Road
    Amherst, MA  United States  01003
  • Principal Investigators:

    Christofa, Eleni

    Fitzpatrick, Cole

    Knodler, Michael

  • Start Date: 20210601
  • Expected Completion Date: 20240630
  • Actual Completion Date: 0
  • USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01773375
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: Safety Research Using Simulation University Transportation Center (SaferSim)
  • Contract Numbers: 69A3551747131
  • Files: UTC, RIP
  • Created Date: May 27 2021 4:31PM