Oral Presentation

The Perception of Safety in Bicycle Usage: The Case of Adana, Turkey

Ezgi EREN1*, Esma AVŞAR2, Zeynel Baran YILDIRIM3, Volkan Emre UZ4

1,2,3,4
Adana Alparslan Türkeş Science and Technology University, Faculty of Engineering,
Department of Civil Engineering, Adana/Turkey

*Corresponding Author: eeren1027@gmail.com

Abstract

The bicycle that a type of "sustainable" transportation that meets quickly and economically
the basic access needs of society and provides minimum accessibility to all segments;
contributes to gaining healthy lifestyle habits by increasing movement and has many benefits
such as being environmentally friendly, reducing natural resource consumption and saving on
space. However, the bicycle which is the most unprotected mode of transportation on roads
which have high traffic volume is often not preferred because it is being perceived as unsafe
by urbanites. For both bicycle users and non-user potential passengers, investigation of the
perception of safety in bicycle usage and identification of safety factors that promote or
prevent the use of bicycles will provide useful information to promote the use of bicycles in
cities. Accordingly, the online and face-to-face survey method was applied to the individuals
living in the province of Adana, and the perception of safety in bicycle usage was
investigated, and different questions were asked for the passengers who are bicycle users and
non-users. By this means, factors that encourage or prevent the bicycle use were determined.
As a result of the research: the better lighting for night driving could lead to improvements in
the security perception and the main reason for the low bicycle use or not preferred of bicycle
road is being the insufficient bicycle roads in the city and not being perceived as safe.

Keywords: Perception of Safety, Sustainable Transportation, Bicycle Usage

Introduction

Black (1996) defined sustainable transportation as “satisfying current transport and mobility
needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet these needs”. In recent
years, because the increase in the use of motor vehicles that cause the depletion of finite
natural resources, it is necessary to change the transportation in sustainable cities with the
environmentally friendly mode of transportation such as a bicycle (Greene ve Wegener, 1997;
Hoffmann ve Lugo, 2014; Newman ve Kenworthy, 1999). The bicycle that a type of
sustainable transportation; contributes to gaining healthy lifestyle habits by increasing
movement and has many benefits such as being environmentally friendly, reducing natural
resource consumption and saving on space (Heinen, Van Wee, ve Maat, 2010). However, the

1767
bicycle which one of the most unprotected modes of transportation for crowded cities is often
not preferred because it is being perceived as unsafe by urbanites (Watson ve Cameron,
2006). For both bicycle users and non-user potential passengers, investigation of the
perception of safety in bicycle usage and identification of safety factors that promote or
prevent the use of bicycles will provide useful information to promote the use of bicycles in
cities.

Material and Method

In addition to being used as a sports and recreational vehicle, it is important to adopt the
bicycle as a transportation alternative in the city. However, the fact that bicycle use is
perceived as unsafe by society makes it difficult to accept bicycle as a mode of transportation.
The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety perception of cycling in Adana, to determine the
parameters that encourage or prevent the use of bicycles and to offer solution suggestions for
the necessary improvements. For this purpose, online and face-to-face surveys were
conducted to individuals living in Adana, which is suitable for cycling in terms of topography
and climate. The survey composed of 16 questions. But, in the 6. question, the participants
were asked whether they used bicycles. Then, the survey was divided into two parts according
to the answers. The number of participants in the online survey and face-to-face survey was
280 and 120, respectively. The survey questions and answers are as follows:

1. Your gender?
2. Your age?

Gender Age Ranges

7,10%
15,70%
33%
20,70%

34,30%
67% 22,10%

Female Male 16-21 22-27 28-37

38-51 52-70
Figure 1. Gender Figure 2. Age Ranges

In the survey, as can be seen from Figure 1, most of the participants were male. In additional,
the age range of the participants divided into 5 groups and the age group with the highest

1768
intensity determined as 22-27 with a percentage of 34,3%. Also, the ratio of young
participants in the 16-37 age group is 72.1% (Figure 2).
3. Your education status?
4. Your prefession?
Education status Participants' professions
3,20% 15,40%
21,40%
10,70%
12,10%
23,90% 5%

49,30% 7,50% 33,20%

12,90% 5,40%

Other Unemployed
Primary education
High school Student Retired
Associate degree Artisan Worker
License degree
Postgraduate Civil servant

Figure 3. Education Status Figure 4. Participants’ Professions

49.30% of the participants are graduates of license or student of the license, and most
(33.20%) are students (Figure 3 and Figure 4).

5. Your total income?

6. Are you using bicycle?

Salary intervals of Ratio of bicycle using

participants
11,10%
No
35% 29%
20,40%

33,60% Yes
71%

0-1000 TL 1001-3000 TL
3001-5000 TL 5000 TL and above Yes No

Figure 5. Salary Figure 6. Bicycle Usage

1769
As most of the participants were students, the most intense income range was 0-1000 TL
(Figure 5). In addition, the online survey is transmitted to cycling communities, so the rate of
cycling is as high as 71% (Figure 6). However, use of bicycle is not common in Adana. The
survey was divided into two sections according to whether the participants were cycling. The
following 6-12 questions were asked in order to investigate the perception of safety in bicycle
usage and the parameters to increase the frequency of cycling of the users.

7. What is your frequency of cycling?

8. Does weather and seasonal conditions reduce your use of cycling?

Frequency of cycling Effect of weather and

season conditions

24% 29% 6,10%

33,30%
45,60%
47% 17,20%

Several times a month I use less often

Several times a week It doesn't affect
Several times a day I don't use it on rainy days
I don't use it during the summer
Figure 7. Frequency of Cycling Figure 8. Weather and Season Conditions

24% of bicycle users stated that they use bicycles every day and 47% of bicycle users stated
that they use bicycles several times a week (Figure 7). In addition, 82.8% of cyclists are
affected by weather and seasonal conditions. Cyclists stated that cycling is reduced on most
rainy days (Figure 8).

9. Are you wearing a helmet for your safety while riding a bike?

Helmet Wearing Ratio

24%
19% 57%

I wear constantly I wear sparse

I don't wear
Figure 9. Helmet Wearing

1770
In Adana, 57% of bicycles always use and 81% of them use helmets The importance of
bicycle users to personal safety can be related to the high rate of helmet use.

10. What are the problems you encounter when riding a bicycle on bicycle road?

Problems which encounter when cycling on bicycle

road

There are no enough signs and marks on

33,70%
the bicycle roads
Behavior of vehicle drivers 41,90%
Problems which
No bicycle parking spaces 40,90% encounter when
using bicycle on
Behaviors of pedestrians 66,70% bicycle road

Pits on the roads 28,50%

Theft / Damage 8,60%

Other 20,40%

Figure 10. Bicyclist’s Problems

In total, 66.70% of bicycle users are uncomfortable with the behaviors of pedestrian and
motor vehicle users and 40.90% of them complain about the lack of bicycle parking areas.
Within the city of Adana, there is a need for safe bicycle paths and bicycle parking spaces
isolated from pedestrian and motor vehicle drivers. The reason why the sum of the responses
is over 100% is the right to answer more than one answer for this and the next multiple choice
questions.

11. When do yu more preferably the bicycle roads?

1771
 The reasons for bicycle roads is more preferable.
If necessary signs and markings are
49%
placed on the bike road
The reasons for
When pedestrian and motor drivers bicycle road is
56,10%
are more sensitive to cyclists more preferable.
If there are enough lighting for
69,20%
evening trips on the bike paths

Figure 11. Reasons for Choosing Bicycle Roads

As can be seen from Figure 11, it can be said that providing adequate lighting on bicycle paths
will increase bicycle usage and that a well-lit bicycle road is most likely to be preferred.

12. Do you have any suggestions for the development of the bicycle roads? If you have,
what is it?

This question is an open-ended question and therefore the variety of answers is high.
However, the five responses that are too often given are as follows:
 Motorcycle access to the bicycle road should be blocked.
 Signs and markings indicating that bike roads belong only to cyclists should be
increased and the lanes should be pulled between the bicycle road and the pedestrian
road.
 Required lightings should be made for night driving.
 Bicycle parking areas should be made on the sides of bicycle roads.
 Bike roads must be connected to the frequently used motorways.

The second part of the survey includes questions from 13-16 managed to non-user individuals
with the aim of determining what obstacles to bicycle use can be.

13. What are your reasons for not using bicycles?

1772
 The reason of not cycling
There are not enough bicycle roads 64,60%
There is no bicycle parking areas 38,40%
Infrastructure deficiencies in bicycle roads 24,40%
Behavior of vehicle drivers 44,30%
The reason of not
Theft/damage 18,30% using bicycle
Pedestrians walking on bicycle roads 41,20%
Holes on the roads 23,20%
Weather conditions 15,90%
Other 29,30%

Figure 12. Non-Users’s Problems

64.60% of the non-bicycle users do not prefer cycling due to lack of bicycle roads and also
do not prefer to use of bicycles due to the behaviour of pedestrians and motor vehicle
users (Figure 12).

14. Do you have a car on yourself or your household ?

15. What is your frequency of use of public transport ?

Ratio of those who have a The frequency of people

car using public transport
I never use it
No 9%
18% 10% I use it several
times a year
45%
I use it several
19% times a month
I use it several
Yes 17% times a week
82% I use it several
times a day

Yes No

Figure 13. Car Ownership Figure 14. Public Transport Usage

1773
Figure 13 shows that 82% of non-bicycle users have a personal vehicle. In addition, 45% of
non-users prefer public transport every day. Realization of short distance travel by bicycle,
can provide the reduce of the load on public transport (Figure 14).
16. What are the matters that will encourage you to use of the bicycle?

Matters that encourage cycling

Prevention of pedestrians from entering the
44,40%
bicycle roads
Making bicycle roads more reliable 59,80% Matters that
encourage
Making of more bicycle roads 73,20% cycling

Making of bicycle park areas 42,70%

Placing necessary signs and markings on
26,80%
bicycle roads
Other 15,90%

Figure 15. Matters that Encourage of Bicycle Usage

Research Findings and Discussion

The aim of this study was to examine the perception of safety in bicycle usage by applying
face to face and online survey methods to individuals living in Adana. A total of sixteen
questions are asked in the survey, fifteen of them are multiple choice, one is the open-ended
question. A total of 400 people participated in the survey. More than 50% of the participants
are in the 22-37 age range. This result indicates that the survey was mostly answered by
young people. In addition, the education level of the participants is high. The survey is
divided into two sections according to the answer to the question of "Do you use of bicycle?".
Since the online survey was mostly transmitted to cycling communities, a 71% yes response
was given to this question and again, for this reason, 57% of individuals who use bicycles
consistently say they wear helmets.

The most common problems of the participants using bicycles: pedestrians walking on bicycle
roads, the negative behavior of motorists to cyclists and the lack of bicycle parking spaces. In
addition, 69.2% of the cycling users stated that the necessary lighting in the bicycle roads for
the night driving was the most important factor for the bicycle roads to be preferred more. The
reason for this is that good lighting on the bicycle roads encourages cycling by improving the
safety perceptions of cyclists. It is believed that this situation will contribute to improvements
in safety perceptions not only for cyclists but also for non-cyclist users.

1774
Individuals who are not bicycle users stated that they do not prefer to use bicycles as there is
not enough bicycle road in the city. In addition, the behavior of vehicle drivers, pedestrians
walking on bicycle roads and the lack of bicycle parking areas are also among the answers
given to the reasons for not cycling. Building more bicycle roads in the city is one of the most
important factors that will encourage them to use bicycles. In addition, the placement of the
necessary signage and markings to prevent bicycle roads from becoming more reliable and to
prevent pedestrians from entering the bicycle roads has been identified as other important
factors to encourage bicycle use. In addition, 45% of non-users prefer public transport every
day. The realization of short distance travel by bicycle can provide a reduction of the load on
public transport. The tendency to use bicycles on short-term journeys can reduce traffic jams
and accidents, especially in individuals who have a personal vehicle.

Conclusion and Suggestions

Increased use of motor vehicles in densely populated cities; traffic congestion and
consequently, individuals reach places they want to reach for very long periods of time.
Sustainable transport policies aim to minimize the number of vehicles, energy spent,
environmental pollution and arrival time and to ensure safe transportation. Bicycle, which is
one of the most important modes of sustainable transportation, is a form of transportation
perceived as unsafe by the community. In this study, surveys conducted for individuals who
live in Adana. The purpose of the survey evaluated the perception of bicycle usage and to
determine the parameters that encourage or prevent cycling. The results show that the making
of information studies to improve pedestrians and vehicle drivers negative behavior towards
cyclists and that sufficient lighting should be provided for more reliable bicycle roads,
especially during night driving, and that bicycle parking spaces should be increased on bicycle
roads. With this study, it can be ensured that bicycles are adopted as a mode of transportation
by preventing the problems of cyclists and eliminating the lack of non-bicycle users.

Resources
Black, W. R. (1996). Sustainable transportation: a US perspective. Journal of Transport
Geography, 4(3), 151-159.

Greene, D. L., & Wegener, M. (1997). Sustainable transport. Journal of Transport

Geography, 5(3), 177-190.

Heinen, E., Van Wee, B., & Maat, K. (2010). Commuting by bicycle: an overview of the
literature. Transport reviews, 30(1), 59-96.

Hoffmann, M. L., & Lugo, A. (2014). Who is ‘world class’? Transportation justice and
bicycle policy. Urbanities, 4(1), 45-61.

Newman, P., & Kenworthy, J. (1999). Sustainability and cities: overcoming automobile
dependence: Island press.

Watson, L. M., & Cameron, M. H. (2006). Bicycle and motor vehicle crash characteristics: Monash ,
University Accident Research Centre Clayton, VIC, Australia.

1775