| Issue/Objective |
Cycling has consistently been shown to have benefits for physical health, mental health, and the environment. However, the risk for injury for cyclists in urban areas is considerably higher in comparison to other road users, posing a barrier to both current and future riders. Protected bicycle lanes, which are dedicated roadways for cyclists physically separated from motor vehicle infrastructure, are a promising intervention to improve cyclist safety. Thus, the aim of this rapid review is to examine whether the implementation of protected bicycle lanes reduces cyclist injury in urban areas. |
| Methodology/Approach |
This rapid review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Studies were eligible if they included traffic-related cyclist injury as an outcome and evaluated protected bicycle lanes as an intervention, with non-protected bike lanes or roadways with no bike infrastructure as comparators. Peer-reviewed studies published within the past 15 years using experimental, quasi-experimental, or observational designs were included. Searches were conducted on PubMed and Scopus with records managed through Covidence. Findings were synthesized narratively. |
| Results |
Searches yielded 589 records, reduced to 446 after duplicate removal. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria after screening. Included studies were concentrated in North America, with additional studies from Europe, Australia, and Asia, using case-crossover, quasi-experimental, case-control, cross-sectional, cohort, and ecological designs. A majority of the studies reported a protective association between protected bicycle lanes and cyclist injury on road segments. This effect was particularly strong when the degree of separation was greater. However, protection was less consistent at the intersection level. Cycling volumes also increased following installation without a proportional rise in injuries. |
| Discussion/Conclusion |
Protected bicycle lanes are consistently associated with reduced cyclist injury on urban road segments, particularly with heavy physical separation. Benefits do not consistently extend to intersections, which remain an area of risk. The rapid review design and heterogeneity across included studies prevented a meta-analysis, limiting rigour, and the predominance of North American studies using police-reported crash data may limit generalizability. These findings support investment in physically separated cycle tracks, while highlighting intersection design as a priority for future infrastructure planning. |
| Presenters and Affiliations |
Alfred Kwan Western University |
