Determinants of risky riding behaviors of cyclists: A literature review

Abstract

Introduction: With the increasing use of bicycles, cyclists’ fatalities have risen globally. To address the issue of cycling safety, external factors affecting cyclists’ crashes have been well reviewed. However, there remains a lack of comprehensive knowledge on the risky riding behaviors exhibited by cyclists. The aim of the present study is to address this gap by providing an exhaustive review of scientific publications in this field. Method: For this purpose, 85 studies published between January 2010 and December 2024 were identified using the PRISMA approach. The findings of the literature review indicated an increase in the number of publications related to cyclists’ behavior in recent years. The majority of these studies come from European regions and very limited research studies are available from low-and-middle-income-countries, emphasizing the need for further research in this area. A keyword analysis of the literature was done to identify the classes of risky riding behaviors among cyclists including lack of alertness, lateral instability, lack of conspicuity aids and protective equipment, and errors and violations. Results: The literature review provides a detailed discussion on the prevalence of all risky riding behaviors undertaken by cyclists. These behaviors have been evaluated using various assessment measures, including speed, acceleration, lateral position, gaze behavior, etc. The review provides a detailed description of various factors associated with risky riding behaviors, including cyclists’ characteristics, roadway and traffic characteristics, vehicle characteristics, and environmental conditions. It was observed that cyclists’ characteristics, especially age and gender, have been widely studied in relation to risky riding behaviors, while the number of studies modeling the effect of infrastructure and environment on risky behaviors is considerably low. Practical applications: In light of the observed findings, the study has highlighted the existing research gaps offering recommendations for future studies to reduce risky riding behaviors among cyclists and promote sustainable transportation. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.