Driver Distraction of Cyclists in Urban Environment: A Methodological Approach

Dimitrios Kontos¹, Panagiotis Lemonakis¹, George Botzoris², Athanasios Galanis³, and Nikolaos Eliou¹ 

1. Department of Civil Engineering, Section of Transportation, University of Thessaly, Greece

2. Department of Civil Engineering, Section of Transportation, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece

3. Department of Civil Engineering, International Hellenic University, Greece

Abstract: Undoubtedly, road accidents are a public health problem, the impact and importance of which have increased in recent decades. Road safety data have systematically shown how cyclists are very vulnerable to being involved in a car accident and suffering serious injuries resulting from it. Furthermore, although the data are still very limited, in addition to the other human factors involved in cycling accidents, distraction when using the bicycle seems to contribute significantly to the road risk of riders. It is well known that driving is a complex process that requires the simultaneous existence of physical, mental and sensory abilities. Despite the complexity of driving, it is observed that drivers deal with things that are irrelevant to the driving task. And this is a huge problem in transport safety, the distraction of the driver. With the growing number of portable devices as well as the electronic help and entertainment systems offered to the driver, the sources of distraction are constantly increasing. The purpose of this study is to understand the phenomenon of driver distraction and to export results, important for the progress in dealing with the phenomenon by the various agencies that can be used as a basis for further research. More specifically, a summary of the recent literature on driver distraction is made, focusing specifically on the distraction of drivers, both by technological means and by external factors. Finally, a methodological approach is applied to the phenomenon, and in particular to the distraction of the bicycle driver in the urban environment, which includes the realization of an experiment in real conditions in the city of Volos. The research involved 15 drivers, who were asked to perform a specific route by cycling and following specific instructions through a navigator. The data collected were analyzed and showed that the phenomenon of driver distraction is real and is a high-risk factor.