Hired E-bikes in 1 of 3 London Crashes Between Cyclists and Pedestrians

New numbers from London show that hired electric bikes are part of one in three accidents between people on bikes and people walking. While cars cause the most danger, this shows a growing problem with shared e-bikes.
By Newsroom | London, Transport |

London's streets are witnessing a concerning trend where one in three reported collisions between cyclists and pedestrians involves a hired e-bike. This situation raises questions about road safety, particularly concerning the operation of these shared electric bikes. While car drivers remain the most significant risk to both cyclists and pedestrians, the data highlights a distinct issue with the growing presence of hired e-bikes in urban traffic.

'One in three' crashes between cyclists and pedestrians involve hired e-bikes, reveals TfL - 1

Traffic Incidents and Hired E-bike Involvement

Recent findings from Transport for London (TfL) indicate that approximately one-third of all reported crashes between cyclists and pedestrians in the city involve a hired e-bike. This figure has emerged from an analysis of traffic incident data.

'One in three' crashes between cyclists and pedestrians involve hired e-bikes, reveals TfL - 2

  • The report notes that cyclists, in general, were involved in about 8% of collisions with pedestrians.

  • However, the subset of incidents involving hired e-bikes points to a more concentrated risk.

  • Red light jumping by cyclists contributed to around 7% of collisions with pedestrians. It remains unclear how many of these incidents specifically involved hired e-bikes.

Broader Road Safety Landscape

While hired e-bikes present a notable challenge, car drivers are identified as posing the greatest overall risk to both cyclists and pedestrians on London's roads. The total number of individuals suffering serious injuries while cycling in London is reportedly on track to reach approximately 1,200 per year. A significant portion of these injuries, nearly one-fifth, occur while riding hired e-bikes.

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'One in three' crashes between cyclists and pedestrians involve hired e-bikes, reveals TfL - 3

Key Findings

  • Hired e-bikes are implicated in a substantial proportion of cyclist-pedestrian collisions.

  • Car drivers represent the primary danger to vulnerable road users.

  • Serious cycling injuries are increasing, with a notable percentage linked to hired e-bikes.

The data raises questions about the usage patterns and safety protocols associated with hired e-bikes. Further investigation may be warranted to understand the contributing factors behind this statistic.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many crashes involve hired e-bikes?
About one out of every three crashes between cyclists and people walking in London involves a hired e-bike.
Q: Are cars dangerous too?
Yes, car drivers are still the biggest danger to people on bikes and people walking.
Q: Are people getting hurt on hired e-bikes?
Yes, many people get seriously hurt while cycling in London, and nearly one out of every five of those injuries happens on a hired e-bike.