Even though Mexico is a country that strives for having a greater number of cyclists per year, exist many realities in urban cycling, for both, good and bad.
Among the good things, we can say that government, state and capital authorities are every time more worried about cyclist. In order to improve this, is necessary to construct more infrastructure as bike paths, or applying more severe regulations against people who invade these bike ways.
In the bad things, in many occasions, these bike routes don’t receive the correct maintenance after their installation. Another dilemma is the low respect from motorist to cyclist, and also the faults that cyclist commit.
In short, Mexico as other countries, has a lot to learn in road culture matters. A place where everyone can co-exist healthily; and all that involves: good infrastructure, fair rules and mutual respect.
By achieving that, will increase the number of people that use the bike and will reduce the number of run over cyclists. At the end, the relation indicates that the use of more bikes, will lead to less accidents.
Do you want to know how? Join us in this journey and don’t forget your reflective elements to be seen at any moment.
Traffic accidents decrease to greater number of cyclists
A report made by statesman Niall McCarthy for Forbes (based on a study of OECD), reflects the importance that exists a greater number of cyclists in cities to diminish the traffic accidents.
This report indicates that while citizens have a greater use of bikes, traffic accidents will decrease directly, above all, fatal accidents.
McCarthy takes as an example to United States, mentioning, that there, a cyclist travels approximately 47km in one year, while the average of death cyclists ascends to 44 per billion km traveled.
At Netherlands and Denmark occurs in the opposite way. These two countries, with more cycling and best traffic culture, people pedal around 864 and 513 km per year. In contrast, only 10,7 and 14,6 cyclists die per billion km.
It follows that the more cyclists a country has, less of them will die by traffic accidents. Or, if less cyclists exist, more of them run the risk of dying by a car accident.
The reasons
First you must understand these important aspects: road culture, cycling infrastructure, and the time of social learning.
You must differentiate that Netherlands and Denmark have implemented cycling as a way of life and transport since many decades. This practice, on the other hand, is rising in other countries.
For that, is normal these great powers invest more money in create greater and better bike ways, bike parking and traffic regulations.
This also explain the fact that exist countries with a great number of cyclists, but also with a great run over and fatality rate.
In essence, this is due road culture isn’t as developed as the already mentioned nations. Meaning, even though exists a spontaneous increase of cyclists, accidents will keep occurring during some time, where cyclists, motorists and pedestrians aren’t used to co-exist neither respect traffic regulations.
In short, at the beginning, an increase of cyclists will lead in more accidents at long term. But, at long term, once motorists and cyclists are used to the present (and note the existence) of the other, will reduce the deaths caused by run overs or impacts.
