Zhou Enlai School of Government, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China.
Accid Anal Prev. 2019 Oct;131:1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2019.06.002. Epub 2019 Jun 20.
Shared-bicycle use has skyrocketed in urban China, but little is known about the safety of bicycle users. The Chinese popular media reports multiple risky riding behaviors among shared bicycle riders, but scientific research on the topic is lacking. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective WeChat-based online survey to examine how often shared bicycle riders report engaging in risky cycling behaviors in urban China. Eight unsafe shared bicycle riding behaviors were assessed: not wearing helmets, running red lights, cycling against the traffic flow, riding in lanes designed for motor vehicles, riding in lanes designed for pedestrians, carrying passengers on bicycles, using cell phones while riding, and eating while riding. In total, 1960 valid questionnaires were collected. The proportion of participants who reported always or often having unsafe riding behavior in the past month, ranged from 1.1% for carrying passengers on the bicycles to 97.6% for failing to wear a helmet. Demographic characteristics were associated with unsafe behaviors through multivariate logistic regression, with male riders and riders aged 25 years or younger more likely to ride while using cell phones than females (AOR = 2.94) and those 36 years or older (AOR = 3.57). Cyclists with undergraduate education were more likely to wear helmets than those with postgraduate education or higher (AOR = 0.21). Compared to riders from central municipalities governed directly by the central government, riders from provincial capitals, deputy provincial cities, and smaller cities were at higher risks of riding in lanes for pedestrians, respectively (AOR = 1.59, 2.82 and 1.61). Riders who rode over 5 h a week and who rode on weekends were more likely to carry passengers than those who rode less than 1 h a week (AOR = 4.72) and those who rode only on weekdays (AOR = 3.93). We conclude that shared-bicycle riders frequently engage in some unsafe riding behaviors in urban China. Younger age, lower level of education, and longer hours of riding each week are associated with greater risks of some unsafe riding behaviors. Shared bicycles offer substantial benefit to societal health and transportation, but evidence-based interventions should be considered to reduce risks from unsafe shared bicycle riding behaviors. A well-designed road infrastructure with dedicated on-road bicycle lanes and readily-accessible comfortable, low-cost, and safe helmets may also reduce unsafe riding behaviors and unwanted crashes and injuries for shared bicycle riders.
共享单车在中国城市中迅速普及，但对于自行车使用者的安全情况知之甚少。中国大众媒体报道了许多共享单车使用者的危险骑行行为，但在该领域的科学研究却很匮乏。因此，我们进行了一项基于微信的回顾性在线调查，以了解在中国城市中共享单车使用者报告的危险骑行行为的发生频率。我们评估了 8 种不安全的共享单车骑行行为：不戴头盔、闯红灯、逆行、在机动车道骑行、在人行道上骑行、载人骑行、骑行时使用手机、骑行时进食。总共收集了 1960 份有效问卷。参与者报告过去一个月内存在不安全骑行行为的比例，从 1.1%的载人骑行到 97.6%的不戴头盔骑行不等。多变量逻辑回归分析表明，人口统计学特征与不安全行为有关，男性骑手和 25 岁以下的年轻骑手比女性更有可能在骑行时使用手机（OR=2.94），而 36 岁及以上的骑手（OR=3.57）则更有可能不戴头盔。具有本科教育程度的骑手比具有研究生或更高学历的骑手更有可能戴头盔（OR=0.21）。与由中央政府直接管理的直辖市的骑手相比，省会城市、副省级城市和较小城市的骑手分别更有可能在人行道上骑行（OR=1.59、2.82 和 1.61）。每周骑行超过 5 小时且在周末骑行的骑手比每周骑行少于 1 小时（OR=4.72）和仅在工作日骑行的骑手（OR=3.93）更有可能载人骑行。综上所述，中国城市的共享单车使用者经常存在一些不安全的骑行行为。年龄较小、教育程度较低以及每周骑行时间较长与某些不安全骑行行为的风险增加有关。共享单车对社会健康和交通带来了巨大的益处，但应考虑采取基于证据的干预措施来降低不安全共享单车骑行行为的风险。设计良好的道路基础设施，配备专用的道路自行车道，以及方便获取舒适、低成本且安全的头盔，也可能会降低共享单车使用者的不安全骑行行为以及意外碰撞和受伤的风险。
