Measuring community bicycle helmet use among children.
Schieber, R. A.; Sacks, J. J.
2001-01-01
Bicycling is a popular recreational activity and a principal mode of transportation for children in the United States, yet about 300 children die and 430,000 are injured annually. Wearing a bicycle helmet is an important countermeasure, since it reduces the risk of serious brain injury by up to 85%. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have funded state health departments to conduct bicycle helmet programs, and their effectiveness has been evaluated by monitoring community bicycle helmet use. Although it would appear that measuring bicycle helmet use is easy, it is actually neither simple nor straightforward. The authors describe what they have learned about assessing helmet use and what methods have been most useful. They also detail several key practical decisions that define the current CDC position regarding helmet use assessment. Although important enough in their own right, the lessons learned in the CDC's bicycle helmet evaluation may serve as a model for evaluating other injury prevention and public health programs. PMID:11847297
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2012-02-01
Many manuals, handbooks and web resources exist that provide guidance on planning for and designing bicycle and pedestrian facilities. However few of these resources emphasize program and infrastructure characteristics most desired by current (and po...
Improving bicycle safety: The role of paediatricians and family physicians
LeBlanc, John C; Huybers, Sherry
2004-01-01
Cycling is a complex activity requiring motor, sensory and cognitive skills that develop at different rates from childhood to adolescence. While children can successfully ride a two-wheeled bicycle at age five or six, judgment of road hazards are poor at that age and matures slowly until adult-like judgment is reached in early adolescence. Safe cycling depends on the care, skills and judgment of cyclists and motorists; roadway design that promotes safe coexistence of bicycles and motor vehicles; and the use of safety devices, including bicycle helmets, lights and reflective tape. Whereas, research into optimal roadway design and educational programs for drivers to improve road safety has yielded contradictory results, the benefits of bicycle helmet use and programs to enhance their use have been clearly shown. This paper has the following objectives for paediatricians and family physicians: To understand the relationship between bicycle safety and children’s motor and cognitive skills.To understand the effectiveness and limitations of strategies to improve bicycle safety.To describe activities to promote bicycle safety that physicians can undertake in clinical settings and in the community. PMID:19657515
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2012-01-01
Over the last decade, there has been a surge in bicycle and pedestrian use in communities that have invested in active transportation infrastructure and programming. While these increases show potentially promising trends, many of the cities that hav...
Spatial and temporal patterns of North Carolina pedestrian and bicycle plans.
Aytur, Semra A; Rodriguez, Daniel A; Kerr, Zachary Y; Ji, Kai; Evenson, Kelly R
2013-01-01
Pedestrian and bicycle plans support community-level physical activity. In North Carolina, pedestrian/bicycle plans are becoming more prevalent. However, no studies have examined the spatial and temporal diffusion of pedestrian/bicycle plans. This study assessed (a) temporal trends associated with municipal pedestrian/bicycle planning from 1974 to 2011 and (b) spatial patterns associated with municipal plans, specifically, whether the publication of a pedestrian/bicycle plan in a given year was associated with the number of neighboring municipalities with plans. North Carolina from 1974 to 2011. The main outcome was date of publication of all North Carolina municipal pedestrian and bicycle plans (1974-2011). We calculated Euclidean distances from each municipality center to all other municipality centers to derive whether municipalities were within 20 and 50 miles of each other. Sociodemographic covariates (eg, education, grant funding status, poverty, urbanicity, racial composition, population size, population growth) were collected from the US Census of Population (1980-2010) and the American Community Survey (2006-2010). Time series models fitted by generalized estimating equations were used to assess relationships between plan presence and the temporal and spatial predictor variables. The number of pedestrian and bicycle plans significantly increased over time, especially after 2006 when a state grant funding program was initiated. Unadjusted models indicated that municipalities were significantly more likely to have a pedestrian plan if higher numbers of neighboring municipalities had pedestrian plans. After adjustment for sociodemographic covariates and funding source, this relationship was attenuated but remained statistically significant. For bicycle plans, no significant associations were observed between plan presence and the number of neighboring municipalities with bicycle plans in adjusted models. Findings from this study can be used to generate hypotheses to test theories about diffusion of innovation and social contagion processes in pedestrian/bicycle planning.
The effects of a 4-year program promoting bicycle helmet use among children in Quebec.
Farley, C; Haddad, S; Brown, B
1996-01-01
OBJECTIVES. This study assessed the effectiveness of a 4-year program of bicycle helmet promotion that targeted elementary school children in one region of Quebec. The program revolved primarily around persuasive communication and community organization, combining standard educational activities and activities to facilitate helmet acquisition and use. METHODS. Helmet use was compared between more than 8000 young cyclists in municipalities exposed or not exposed to the program. Factors influencing helmet use were controlled through the use of multivariate analyses. RESULTS. Helmet use increased from 1.3% before program implementation to 33% in 1993. The program was clearly effective in most cycling circumstances and for various groups of children. However, the benefits of the program were unequally distributed; the program was one third as effective in poorer municipalities as in "average-rich" ones. CONCLUSIONS. This community-based program that combined various types of activities appeared to be effective. New intervention models are needed to ensure an equitable distribution of benefits. PMID:8561241
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2014-05-01
In 2005, the United States Congress directed the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to develop the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program (NTPP). The program provided over $25 million in contract authority to four pilot communities (Columbia, M...
Zlot, Amy I; Schmid, Tom L
2005-01-01
Compare walking and bicycling for transportation and recreation with the percentage of the community devoted to parklands. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (N = 206,992), Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey (N = 409,025), and Trust for Public Land (N = 55) data were used to estimate recreational walking and bicycling, utilitarian walking and bicycling, and parkland as a percentage of city acreage. Data were linked at the metropolitan statistical area or city level (N = 34). Pearson correlation coefficients were used to assess the associations among recreational and utilitarian walking and bicycling and parkland acreage. Utilitarian walking and bicycling and parkland acreage were significantly correlated (r = .62, p < .0001). No significant relationships were observed for leisure time walking or bicycling. Communities with more parks had significantly higher levels of walking and bicycling for transportation. Urban design features associated with leisure time physical activity might differ from those associated with transportation-related physical activity. Further studies are needed to articulate the relationships among community attributes and purposes of physical activity.
Get Active Orlando: changing the built environment to increase physical activity.
McCreedy, Malisa; Leslie, Jill G
2009-12-01
Active Living by Design's Get Active Orlando partnership (GAO) focused on downtown Orlando's Community Redevelopment Area, including the Parramore Heritage District, home to many low-income and ethnically diverse residents, including many seniors. The area had undergone substantial development, and GAO aimed to incorporate active living considerations into the city's changing landscape. Get Active Orlando conducted a baseline survey of all streets, sidewalks, and bicycle lanes in the project area and identified a sequence of plans and policies in which to incorporate changes identified in the assessment. To create more immediate opportunities for active living, the partnership initiated a senior walking program, a bicycle refurbishment and giveaway program, and community bicycle-riding events, and led a social-marketing campaign that emphasized simple lifestyle changes. Get Active Orlando influenced adoption of public policies supporting active living in Orlando, including the Downtown Transportation Plan, Streetscape Guidelines, Design Standards Review Checklist, and growth management policies. Establishment of the Mayor's Advisory Council on Active Living is testament to the heightened significance of active living in Orlando. Initial assessment data served as a strong platform for policy change. Creating connections across disciplines including land-use planning, transportation, public health, and economic development allowed GAO to secure substantial policy change to influence design of the built environment. Engaging community members, including youth, as leaders was an important factor in program success. The physical environment in Orlando's Community Redevelopment Area is beginning to change as a reflection of a new policy framework designed to support active living.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2015-03-01
This report examines potential methods for evaluating the economic benefits from nonmotorized transportation investments. The variety of potential economic benefits of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and programming investments discussed includ...
A bicycle network analysis tool for planning applications in small communities.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2015-05-01
Non-motorized transportation modes such as bicycles constitute an important part of a : communitys transportation system; they are vital to the success of transit-oriented developments : (TODs). However, bicycles were often ignored in transportati...
Building the base: two active living projects that inspired community participation.
Hamamoto, Mark H; Derauf, David D; Yoshimura, Sheryl R
2009-12-01
Kalihi Valley is a densely populated, low-income community (28,958 residents in approximately 6 square miles) with insufficient sidewalks, bike lanes, and public green space to support regular physical activity for its residents. Kokua Kalihi Valley (KKV), a community health center formed in 1972, sought to improve Kalihi Valley's built environment based on its history of community- and partnership-based preventive health initiatives that have focused on the social determinants of health. Kokua Kalihi Valley used a flexible partnership model and a focus on direct community action to develop an unused 100-acre state park (the Kalihi Valley Nature Park) and establish a bicycle repair and recycling program that mobilized thousands of community volunteers, attracted widespread media coverage, and established a number of innovative programs for active living. Kokua Kalihi Valley and its partners also contributed to the successful passage of a city charter amendment to prioritize Honolulu as a bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly city. This initiative was successful in reclaiming a substantial amount of land for active living and in stimulating both public governmental support and widespread private community involvement in programs and activities. Projects that engaged community members in activities with tangible accomplishment were shown to be most successful. This initiative showed that community health centers may be uniquely positioned to provide leadership and assume responsibility for cross-sectoral active-living health projects.
Evaluation of a promotional strategy to increase bicycle helmet use by children.
Parkin, P C; Spence, L J; Hu, X; Kranz, K E; Shortt, L G; Wesson, D E
1993-04-01
Bicycle-related head injuries are an important cause of death and disability, despite the availability of helmets. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based bicycle helmet promotion program in increasing helmet use by children while controlling for secular trends. Two high-income and two low-income schools in an urban Canadian community were selected to receive a bicycle helmet promotion intervention, with the remaining 18 schools serving as controls. Approximately 1800 observations of bicycling children were made at randomly selected observational sites 2 to 5 months after the intervention to assess changes in behavior. Helmet use at all observation sites tripled from 3.4% (1990, preintervention) to 16% (1991, postintervention). In the high-income intervention area, observed helmet use rose dramatically from 4% to 36% in contrast to the more modest increase in the high-income control area from 4% to 15%. In the low-income intervention area, there was a modest increase from 1% to 7%, but it did not differ from the increase in the low-income control area from 3% to 13%. The program was highly successful in children of high-income families but not in children of low-income families. Developing strategies for low-income families remains a priority.
Program evaluation of FHWA pedestrian and bicycle safety activities.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2011-03-01
"Introduction : FHWAs Office of Highway Safety (HSA) initiated a program evaluation by Booz Allen Hamilton to assess the overall effectiveness of the Agencys Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program. The evaluation covers pedestrian and bicycle sa...
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2012-01-01
Over the last decade, there has been a surge in bicycle and pedestrian use in communities that have invested in active transportation infrastruc-ture and programming. While these increases show potentially promising trends, many of the cities that ha...
Teaching children about bicycle safety: an evaluation of the New Jersey Bike School program.
Lachapelle, Ugo; Noland, Robert B; Von Hagen, Leigh Ann
2013-03-01
There are multiple health and environmental benefits associated with increasing bicycling among children. However, the use of bicycles is also associated with severe injuries and fatalities. In order to reduce bicycle crashes, a bicycling education program was implemented in selected New Jersey schools and summer camps as part of the New Jersey Safe Routes to School Program. Using a convenience sample of participants to the program, an opportunistic study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of two bicycle education programs, the first a more-structured program delivered in a school setting, with no on-road component, and the other a less structured program delivered in a summer camp setting that included an on-road component. Tests administered before and after training were designed to assess knowledge acquired during the training. Questions assessed children's existing knowledge of helmet use and other equipment, bicycle safety, as well as their ability to discriminate hazards and understand rules of the road. Participating children (n=699) also completed a travel survey that assessed their bicycling behavior and their perception of safety issues. Response to individual questions, overall pre- and post-training test scores, and changes in test scores were compared using comparison of proportion, t-tests, and ordinary least-squares (OLS) regression. Improvements between the pre-training and post-training test are apparent from the frequency distribution of test results and from t-tests. Both summer camps and school-based programs recorded similar improvements in test results. Children who bicycled with their parents scored higher on the pre-training test but did not improve as much on the post-training test. Without evaluating long-term changes in behavior, it is difficult to ascertain how successful the program is on eventual behavioral and safety outcomes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Forecasting bicycle and pedestrian usage and research data collection equipment.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2010-01-01
During recent years, community leaders and transportation professionals in the Austin area have increased their interest in pedestrian and bicycle travel. Advocacy groups, task forces, bicycling clubs, and volunteer organizations encourage government...
Increasing bicycle helmet use in the community. Measuring response to a wide-scale, 2-year effort.
Morris, B A; Trimble, N E; Fendley, S J
1994-06-01
To determine whether a wide-scale, long-term community promotional effort would increase the use of bicycle helmets among children. Over 2 years, a non-profit group coordinated a range of activities to promote helmet use. On one date before the intervention began and three dates during the intervention, observers surveyed students riding bicycles. Cyclists were observed at 5 elementary schools, three secondary schools, and two community college entrances. A total of 851 cyclists were observed, 536 of them at elementary schools in a convenience sample. Print, radio, and television advertising; posters; pamphlets; bicycle rodeos; and a play were used in a public awareness campaign. Health promotion activities included education, social marketing, community development, and legislative action. Number of cyclists and whether they wore helmets. Combining the two observation dates for each year, helmet use increased from 5.4% in 1990 to 15.4% in 1991. The greatest increase was observed among elementary school students, the group most at risk of serious head injury or death. Overall, girls were twice as likely to wear helmets as boys. Wide-scale, long-term community promotion appears to be effective in increasing the use of bicycle helmets.
Bicycling access and egress to transit : informing the possibilities.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2011-04-01
When effectively integrated with transit services, considerable room exists for bicycling to realize various benefits to communities. A successful marriage between bicycling and transit will likely increase the use and efficiency of both modes. A cor...
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2010-10-01
Many communities want to promote walking and cycling. However, few know how much nonmotorized travel already occurs in their communities. This research project developed the Pedestrian and Bicycling Survey (PABS), a method that local governments can ...
A Bicycle Safety Education Program for Parents of Young Children
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Lohse, Julie L.
2003-01-01
This study examined parental perceptions of the benefits and barriers to bicycle helmet use and their level of knowledge about bicycle safety issues. A school-based bicycle safety education program was taught to first- and second-grade students in a rural/suburban school district by a graduate nursing student. Pender's Health Promotion Model was…
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Woods-Robinson, R.; Case, E.
2017-12-01
Engaging communities with renewable energy is key to fighting climate change. Cycle for Science, an innovative STEM outreach organization, has reached more than 3,000 K-12 students across the United States by bringing early-career female scientists into classrooms to teach basic physics and solar energy engineering through hands-on, DIY science activities. We designed a fleet of miniature, 3D-printed, solar-powered bicycles called "Sol Cycles" to use as teaching tools. Traveling by bicycle, Cycle for Science has brought them to rural and urban communities across the U.S. in two major efforts so far: one traversing the country (2015), and one through central California (2017). The program involves (1) introducing the scientists and why they value science, (2) running a skit to demonstrate how electrons and photons interact inside the solar panel, (3) assembling the Sol Cycles, (4) taking students outdoors to test the effects of variables (e.g. light intensity) on the Sol Cycles' movement, (5) and debriefing about the importance of renewable energy. In addition to physics and solar energy, the lessons teach the scientific process, provide tactile engagement with science, and introduce a platform to engage students with climate change impacts. By cycling to classrooms, we provide positive examples of low-impact transportation and a unique avenue for discussing climate action. It was important that this program extend beyond the trips, so the lesson and Sol Cycle design are open source to encourage teachers and students to play, change and improve the design, as well as incorporate new exercises (e.g. could you power the bicycle by wind?). Additionally, it has been permanently added to the XRaise Lending Library at Cornell University, so teachers across the world can implement the lesson. By sharing our project at AGU, we aim to connect with other scientists, educators, and concerned citizens about how to continue to bring renewable energy lessons into classrooms.
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-12-29
... survey will be preceded by a pretest administered to 15 respondents. The survey will ask about the characteristics of bicycling and walking trips, conspicuity, community design for bicycling and walking, bicycle...
BICYCLING FOR TRANSPORTATION AT GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY
The project will engage the university arts community in environmental sustainability, and the placement of artistic bike racks will increase awareness that bicycling is a feasible and appropriate means of transportation. The individuals either bicycling for transportation of...
Assessment of sidewalk/bicycle-lane gaps with safety and developing statewide pedestrian [summary].
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2016-04-01
Interest in multimodal transportation and walkable/bikeable communities has led to : construction of more sidewalks and bicycle paths. However, in many places, sidewalks or : bicycle paths are not continuous, leaving gaps that force pedestrians and b...
Increasing bicycle helmet use in the community. Measuring response to a wide-scale, 2-year effort.
Morris, B. A.; Trimble, N. E.; Fendley, S. J.
1994-01-01
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a wide-scale, long-term community promotional effort would increase the use of bicycle helmets among children. DESIGN: Over 2 years, a non-profit group coordinated a range of activities to promote helmet use. On one date before the intervention began and three dates during the intervention, observers surveyed students riding bicycles. SETTING: Cyclists were observed at 5 elementary schools, three secondary schools, and two community college entrances. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 851 cyclists were observed, 536 of them at elementary schools in a convenience sample. INTERVENTIONS: Print, radio, and television advertising; posters; pamphlets; bicycle rodeos; and a play were used in a public awareness campaign. Health promotion activities included education, social marketing, community development, and legislative action. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of cyclists and whether they wore helmets. RESULTS: Combining the two observation dates for each year, helmet use increased from 5.4% in 1990 to 15.4% in 1991. The greatest increase was observed among elementary school students, the group most at risk of serious head injury or death. Overall, girls were twice as likely to wear helmets as boys. CONCLUSIONS: Wide-scale, long-term community promotion appears to be effective in increasing the use of bicycle helmets. PMID:8019189
76 FR 34290 - Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping Requirements
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-06-13
... States and the District of Columbia. The national survey will be preceded by a pretest administered to 15..., community design for bicycling and walking, bicycle helmet use, and general opinions about bicycling and... Contractor would conduct 15 pretest telephone interviews and 9,000 national survey telephone interviews for a...
Nebraska Secondary Bicycle Program Guide.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Tichenor, Fred E.
Provided is a secondary education bicycle program guide designed for use in a general bicycle awareness course or as part of a driver education course. Chapter 1 of the guide contains the course objectives (psychomotor, cognitive, and affective) and a course outline organized into eight lessons. Each lesson lists lesson objectives, student…
Bicycle safety education for children from a developmental and learning perspective.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2014-01-01
When children ride bicycles in and near traffic, they engage in a complicated task of combining motor skills and cognitive skills. In addition to developing bicycle-handling skills, bicycle safety education programs teach children how to ride safely ...
Fuller, Daniel; Gauvin, Lise; Kestens, Yan
2013-02-01
Few studies have examined potential disparities in access to transportation infrastructures, an important determinant of population health. To examine individual- and area-level disparities in access to the road network, public transportation system, and a public bicycle share program in Montreal, Canada. Examining associations between sociodemographic variables and access to the road network, public transportation system, and a public bicycle share program, 6,495 adult respondents (mean age, 48.7 years; 59.0 % female) nested in 33 areas were included in a multilevel analysis. Individuals with lower incomes lived significantly closer to public transportation and the bicycle share program. At the area level, the interaction between low-education and low-income neighborhoods showed that these areas were significantly closer to public transportation and the bicycle share program controlling for individual and urbanicity variables. More deprived areas of the Island of Montreal have better access to transportation infrastructure than less-deprived areas.
Rissel, Chris; Crane, Melanie; Standen, Chris; Wen, Li Ming; Ellison, Richard; Greaves, Stephen
2018-06-01
To describe the degree of community support - and factors associated with this support - for a number of potential transport policy options among an inner-city sample of residents in Sydney, Australia. This study analysed data collected from a cross-sectional online survey: Wave 3 of the Sydney Transport and Health Study, conducted in September-October 2015 (n=418). There was a high level of overall support for policies to make public transport cheaper (85%), have more bicycle paths separated from motor vehicles (82%) and have a public bike-share program (72%), with similar levels of support across usual commute mode, age and sex. Despite a natural tendency for respondents to support transport policies that were of most relevance to themselves, it appeared that, in this sample, public support for public transport and bicycling policies remained strong across all respondents. Implications for public health: Policies that support public transport and active travel and achieve positive health outcomes would be well received by inner-Sydney residents. © 2018 The Authors.
Wei, Feng; Lovegrove, Gordon
2013-12-01
Today, North American governments are more willing to consider compact neighborhoods with increased use of sustainable transportation modes. Bicycling, one of the most effective modes for short trips with distances less than 5km is being encouraged. However, as vulnerable road users (VRUs), cyclists are more likely to be injured when involved in collisions. In order to create a safe road environment for them, evaluating cyclists' road safety at a macro level in a proactive way is necessary. In this paper, different generalized linear regression methods for collision prediction model (CPM) development are reviewed and previous studies on micro-level and macro-level bicycle-related CPMs are summarized. On the basis of insights gained in the exploration stage, this paper also reports on efforts to develop negative binomial models for bicycle-auto collisions at a community-based, macro-level. Data came from the Central Okanagan Regional District (CORD), of British Columbia, Canada. The model results revealed two types of statistical associations between collisions and each explanatory variable: (1) An increase in bicycle-auto collisions is associated with an increase in total lane kilometers (TLKM), bicycle lane kilometers (BLKM), bus stops (BS), traffic signals (SIG), intersection density (INTD), and arterial-local intersection percentage (IALP). (2) A decrease in bicycle collisions was found to be associated with an increase in the number of drive commuters (DRIVE), and in the percentage of drive commuters (DRP). These results support our hypothesis that in North America, with its current low levels of bicycle use (<4%), we can initially expect to see an increase in bicycle collisions as cycle mode share increases. However, as bicycle mode share increases beyond some unknown 'critical' level, our hypothesis also predicts a net safety improvement. To test this hypothesis and to further explore the statistical relationships between bicycle mode split and overall road safety, future research needs to pursue further development and application of community-based, macro-level CPMs. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Daily Bicycling in Older Adults May Be Effective to Reduce Fall Risks - A Case Control Study.
Batcir, Shani; Melzer, Itshak
2018-01-18
Older adults gain many health benefits from riding bicycles regularly. We aimed to explore whether older persons who ride bicycles regularly have better balance than controls. Balance control and voluntary stepping were assessed in 20 older adults aged 65 to 85 who live in an agricultural community village who regularly ride bicycles (BR), and 30 age- and gender-matched non-bicycle riders (NBR). Self-reported function and fear of fall were also assessed. Bicycle riders showed significantly better balance, faster voluntary stepping, and better self-reported advanced lower extremity function compared with NBR. The results might suggest that bicycling regularly preserves balance control and speed of voluntary stepping in older adults because bicycling might maintain specific balance coordination patterns. The results should be treated with caution since BR were older adults who selected an active life style (i.e., bicycling as well as living in an agricultural village) that may bias the results.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Borst, William H.
The three teaching units in this packet are designed to help children ages 8 to 11 enjoy, utilize, and safely ride bicycles by mastering skills and knowledge pertaining to their bicycles, their driving ability, and the traffic system. Unit I is concerned with the bicycle and its parts, various kinds of bicycles, and proper size and maintenance.…
1995 Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Report
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
1995-03-01
This report provides a review of the current data on bicycle and pedestrian : safety across the United States, finding that safety and education : programs could significantly improve bicycle and pedestrian safety in the : Dallas-Fort Worth Metropoli...
Bicycle transportation for energy conservation
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
1980-05-01
The study was mandated by Section 682 of the National Energy Conservation Policy Act of 1978. The study's objectives were to: (1) identify the obstacles to increased bicycle use; (2) develop a Comprehensive Bicycle Transportation Program (CBTP) to ov...
Framework for selection and evaluation of bicycle and pedestrian safety projects in Virginia.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2008-01-01
The Virginia Department of Transportation's (VDOT) Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety (BPS) Program provides funds for implementing short-term, low-cost bicycle and pedestrian safety projects in Virginia. This initiative is administered by evaluating each...
Bernstein, Rebecca; Schneider, Robert; Welch, Whitney; Dressel, Anne; DeNomie, Melissa; Kusch, Jennifer; Sosa, Mirtha
2017-08-01
This pilot study tested the efficacy of a bicycling intervention targeting inactive, low-income, overweight adults on reducing perceived barriers to bicycling, increasing physical activity, and improving health. A nonblinded 2-site randomized controlled trial was conducted in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in summer 2015. Participants included members from 1 largely Latino community and a second primarily African American neighborhood. A certified bicycling instructor led a 12-week bicycling intervention. Outcome measures including biking-related attitudes, self-reported physical activity, fitness as measured by the 6-minute step test, and biometric data were collected at baseline, 12 weeks, and 20 weeks. Thirty-eight participants completed the study. Barriers to bicycling declined significantly among intervention group participants at 12 weeks with some declines persisting to 20 weeks. Bicycling for leisure or non work transportation increased significantly more in the intervention than control group from baseline to 12 weeks but this difference attenuated by 20 weeks. Both groups increased their fitness between baseline and 12 weeks, with a trend towards greater gains in the bicycling intervention group. No significant change in biometric measurements was seen at either 12 weeks or 20 weeks. Despite the small study size, this bicycling intervention decreased perceived barriers to bicycling and increased bicycling activity in low-income minority participants. These findings support a larger-scale study to measure fitness and health changes from bicycling interventions.
Getting involved : a study of bicycle and pedestrian advisory committees and advocacy organizations.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2001-01-01
Bicycle and pedestrian advocacy groups have approached VDOT with a variety of proposals and requests for support. In deciding how to respond to such inquiries, the VDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Program staff desires to know how other state DOTs interac...
Regional models of bicycle and pedestrian travel in Chittenden County, Vermont.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2015-02-01
Encouraging travelers to walk and bicycle in lieu of motorized modes of travel : benefits both the traveler and the community at large. The traveler benefits from : health improvements that have been shown to accompany increases in physical : activit...
Policies and Opportunities for Physical Activity in Middle School Environments
Young, Deborah R.; Felton, Gwen M.; Grieser, Mira; Elder, John P.; Johnson, Carolyn; Lee, Jung-Sun; Kubik, Martha Y.
2008-01-01
BACKGROUND This study examined physical activity opportunities and barriers at 36 geographically diverse middle schools participating in the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls. METHODS Principals, physical education and health education department heads, and program leaders were interviewed to assess policies and instructional practices that support physical activity. RESULTS Schools provided approximately 110 hours per year in physical education instruction. Approximately 20% of students walked or bicycled to school. Eighty-three percent of schools offered interscholastic sports and 69% offered intramural sports. Most schools offered programs for girls, but on average, only 24 girls (~5%) in the schools attended any programs. Only 25% of schools allowed after school free play. An overall score created to assess school environmental support for physical activity indicated that, on average, schools met 6.7 items of 10 items. Free/reduced lunch program participation versus not (p = .04), perceived priority of physical education instruction over coaching (p = .02), and safety for walking/bicycling to school (p = .02) predicted environmental support score. CONCLUSIONS Schools have policies and practices that support physical activity, although unfavorable practices exist. Schools must work with community partners and officials to provide environments that optimally support physical activity, especially schools that serve low-income students. PMID:17212759
Integration of bicycling and walking facilities into the infrastructure of urban communities.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2012-02-01
Several manuals, handbooks and web resources exist to provide varied guidance on planning for and designing bicycle and pedestrian facilities, yet there are no specific indications about which of the varied treatments in these guides work well for us...
Integration of Bicycling and Walking Facilities into the Infrastructure of Urban Communities
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2012-02-01
Several manuals, handbooks and web resources exist to provide varied guidance on planning for and designing bicycle and pedestrian facilities, yet there are no specific indications about which of the varied treatments in these guides work well for us...
An Evaluation of Red Shoulders as a Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility
Hunter, William W.
1999-01-01
Use of color has been popular in European bicycle facilities. As an innovative treatment, the community of Tavares, FL decided to add one mile of shoulders to a scenic roadway and paint the shoulders red to emphasize their use as a bicycle facility. The red shoulders were evaluated by examining: (1) motor vehicle speed data collected before and after the addition of the red shoulders, (2) the amount of use of the shoulder by bicyclists, (3) the lateral positioning of bicyclists being passed by motor vehicles, (4) the amount and severity of vehicular encroachment into the opposing lane of travel, and (5) conflicts between bicycles and motor vehicles.
Bicycle Guidelines and Crash Rates on Cycle Tracks in the United States
Morency, Patrick; Miranda-Moreno, Luis F.; Willett, Walter C.; Dennerlein, Jack T.
2013-01-01
Objectives. We studied state-adopted bicycle guidelines to determine whether cycle tracks (physically separated, bicycle-exclusive paths adjacent to sidewalks) were recommended, whether they were built, and their crash rate. Methods. We analyzed and compared US bicycle facility guidelines published between 1972 and 1999. We identified 19 cycle tracks in the United States and collected extensive data on cycle track design, usage, and crash history from local communities. We used bicycle counts and crash data to estimate crash rates. Results. A bicycle facility guideline written in 1972 endorsed cycle tracks but American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) guidelines (1974–1999) discouraged or did not include cycle tracks and did not cite research about crash rates on cycle tracks. For the 19 US cycle tracks we examined, the overall crash rate was 2.3 (95% confidence interval = 1.7, 3.0) per 1 million bicycle kilometers. Conclusions. AASHTO bicycle guidelines are not explicitly based on rigorous or up-to-date research. Our results show that the risk of bicycle–vehicle crashes is lower on US cycle tracks than published crashes rates on roadways. This study and previous investigations support building cycle tracks. PMID:23678920
Lin, Zhen-Bin; Ji, Yan-Hu; Xiao, Qing-Yu; Luo, Li-Bo; Li, Li-Ping; Choi, Bernard
2017-01-26
Bicycle injuries are a leading cause of accidental death among children in the world, and bicycle-related injuries are also very common in China, thus to find out bicycle injury risk factors is imperative. This study aims to identify the cyclist-, bicycle- and road-related risk factors of bicycle injury, to develop health education programs as an intervention and to provide a scientific basis for establishing policies against bicycle injury. We selected two middle schools randomly among seven schools in Chaoshan rural areas,where the main means of transportation for students from home to school was bicycle. The subjects were middle school students from 7th to 9th grades from Gucuo Middle School and Hefeng Middle School. Cyclists were surveyed through questionnaires about bicycle injury in the past 12 months. Multivariable logistic analysis showed that compared with a combination-type road、 motor lane and a non-intact road were both risk factors of bicycle injuries. This was followed by riding with fatigue, non-motor lane and inattentive riding. Bicycle injuries are frequent in China. Three risk factors on bicycle traffic injury among middle school students in Chaoshan rural areas of China were identified. This study provides important data to develop intervention strategies for China and other developing countries.
The following data is based on our first three riders, and represents three main demographics of the town of Boone and Appalachian State University: students, faculty members, and local residents.