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11/23/2018 | Pressemitteilung

SafeBike: New safety concept for young cyclists

Traffic scientists at the University of Kassel want to reduce the number of bicycle accidents. The new project is called SafeBike: a road safety program for 11 to 14-year-old bicycle users. The aim is to teach schoolchildren how to deal with dangers more consciously. Eye-tracking glasses are to be used for this purpose. An interested school in the Kassel area is still being sought for a pilot test.

Image: Fotolia - Kzenon.
"The successful completion of the project could make a significant contribution to reducing the number of bicycle accidents," says Prof. Dr. Carsten Sommer.

"11 to 14-year-olds are particularly often involved in bicycle accidents," says Prof. Dr. Carsten Sommer from the Department of Transportation Planning and Systems. "With our project, we want to reduce the number of cyclists involved in accidents." The Kassel researchers want to use new methods to teach schoolchildren more conscious behavior in road traffic. The project aims to promote personal responsibility and hazard awareness.

In 2014, there were more than 6,000 11- to 14-year-olds in Germany who had accidents on bicycles. "The successful completion of the project could make a significant contribution to reducing this number," Sommer said.

The scientists are initially studying the behavior of schoolchildren in road traffic. In this way, they want to find out which dangers are typical for young cyclists. "To do this, we also use so-called eye tracking glasses," Sommer says. The digital glasses track the cyclists' eye movements. "This tells us a lot about their reaction and gaze behavior."

With this knowledge, the researchers want to go directly into schools to teach school classes self-responsible behavior in road traffic.  "We are relying on new coaching and teaching methods," says the traffic scientist, "for example 'gamification.'" This refers to learning through play. In addition, different traffic situations will be discussed by the students using example videos. "Our goal is to make students aware of their own behavior in road traffic so that they recognize dangers better - without a raised forefinger."

Verkehrsclub Deutschland and the North Hesse Police Department are supporting the "SafeBike" project - developing a road safety program for cyclists between the ages of 11 and 14 with a focus on metacognitive skills.

The project is supported by funds for the implementation of the National Cycling Plan 2020 by the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure.

 

Contact:

Prof. Dr. Carsten Sommer
University of Kassel
Transport Planning and Systems
Tel.: 0561 804-3381
Email: c.sommer@uni-kassel.de