The question of which is safer, to ride with traffic or in a designated bike lane, is one that has been debated for more than a decade. Even a 1999 Federal Highway Administration study was not enough to bring about a consensus on the issue, despite the fact that the study confirmed bike lanes were safer than riding with traffic or on the shoulder.
The question of which is safer, to ride with traffic or in a designated bike lane, is one that has been debated for more than a decade. Even a 1999 Federal Highway Administration study was not enough to bring about a consensus on the issue, despite the fact that the study confirmed bike lanes were safer than riding with traffic or on the shoulder.
One of the reasons why this continues to be an issue is because of the fact that many bike lanes across the nation exist on roadways, oftentimes only separated from motor vehicle traffic by a few painted lines. As a result, many people wonder the very question we’ve posed above: why are designated bike lanes safer than riding with traffic?
To answer this question, we have to consider the thought process most drivers have when they encounter bicyclists in bike lanes versus riders in traffic.
Traffic in bike lanes versus on the road
A lot of drivers see roadways as a domain specifically designed for motor vehicles. The markings on the road tell drivers where they can and cannot go, clearly dividing the space in which a driver can travel.
When pedestrians and bicyclists encroach on this area, it may cause a driver to feel anxious because now there is no defined space between the driver and the pedestrian or bicyclist. A driver can no longer clearly identify his or her boundaries, which may make them more likely to stray into the path of someone sharing the same space.
With designated bike lanes, even those that are situated on streets next to motor vehicle traffic, drivers and bicyclists alike know where their defined boundaries are. As a result, drivers and bicyclists tend to pay more attention to their surroundings, are more conscious about the movements they make within their designated lanes and therefore less likely to stray into the domain of the other.
Crashes aren’t always avoidable
Naturally, even if a bicyclist is in a designated bike lane, there is no guarantee a driver will not collide with them. In many cases, collisions in bike lanes are the direct result of inattentiveness, distraction and sometimes impairment, all of which can lead to a personal injury claim on the grounds of negligence.
