Road safety for cyclists in rural areas

Today, about 10-15% of Sweden's population lives in small towns, i.e. towns with fewer than 200 inhabitants Residents of small towns have largely the same need for safe and secure transport in their immediate environment as residents of urban areas, i.e. they want to be able to visit the surroundings on foot and by bicycle, travel to the bus stop or walk and cycle for exercise.

Of all the journeys we make in Sweden, about half are shorter than 5 km and a significant proportion of these are made by car. If these shorter trips were made more often on foot or by bicycle, it would be a step towards a sustainable transport system and lead to environmental benefits.

The project, funded by Länsförsäkringar's research fund, studies the modal split, accident statistics, and identifies trends in its development, as well as barriers and fears to cycling in rural areas. Discussions on infrastructure, equipment and aids are also held; all to increase cyclists' safety and accessibility outside urban areas.

The project has been completed

LTU report
Cyclists' safety outside urban areas